Ilaria Salis in chains in Budapest courtroom. Tajani: Hungarian government must enforce her rights

Brussels – “Bilateral contacts have been made. The Commission is always available to help in the framework of these bilateral contacts that have been made by Italy with Hungary.” EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders assures that the EU executive is also aware of what is happening in Hungary to Ilaria Salis, the Italian citizen who has been detained in Hungarian jails for over a year.

Today the young woman, who has always professed her innocence, appeared in the courtroom in Budapest in chains: cuffs on her wrists and ankles, held between officers in bulletproof vests and balaclavas with a chain tied around her waist. The charge is very heavy: assault and injuries judged to be fatal (in conspiracy with other boys) to two neo-Nazi militants during a demonstration, the “Day of Honor,” on Feb. 11. The fact is, however, that these victims recovered in a very few days and did not even press charges. But Hungarian Justice, which is under strong government control, decided that Salis is a very dangerous criminal, and for months kept her in a very harsh prison, with very poor hygienic conditions, and handed her trial records only in Hungarian. They reportedly did not even show her the evidence the prosecution says it has. She faces a sentence of more than 20 years in prison.

Little has been said about the fact in Italy, but today the images of the girl in chains (whose trial, after this first hearing, has been postponed until the end of May) have sparked scandal and revulsion.

Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, wrote on X today, “We call on the Hungarian government to be vigilant and intervene to ensure that the rights, as provided for in EU regulations, of Italian citizen Ilaria Salis detained pending trial are respected.”

The head of the PD delegation, Brando Benifei, also on X said that “The images coming out of Ilaria Salis hearing are disconcerting, with chains on hands and feet. Ilaria has pleaded not guilty, but the trial has been postponed until May. The Italian government must bring Ilaria home immediately. It is not acceptable what is happening!”.

Today’s hearing was also attended, as is customary in such houses, by a representative of the Italian Embassy in Hungary and also by activists from Amnesty International.