Hungarian court ends house arrest for Italian female suspect
Italian political activist Ilaria Salis, a member of the left-wing, has been set free from her house arrest after her successful election to the European Parliament. This news was shared by her lawyer, György Magyar, with the news outlet "telex.hu".
Salis, a teacher by occupation, is currently under trial in Budapest for accusations of physical assault against right-wing extremists. As a representative of the left-wing alliance AVS, she acquired a seat in the new European Parliament last Sunday, granting her immunity from prosecution.
Salis was escorted into court in January, handcuffed and shackled, which stirred controversy in her native Italy. In Hungary, she could face up to eleven years in prison. Following the payment of bail, she was released from prison and placed under house arrest. During February 2023, Salis refuted any involvement in the assaults. Every year on the 11th of February, a significant number of Hungarian and foreign right-wing extremists gather in Budapest to honor a Military Action of the Waffen-SS at the end of World War II.
The Budapest City Court declared on Friday that they will petition the Presidium of the European Parliament to rescind Salis' immunity. The court reasoned this step due to the ongoing criminal proceedings against Salis in Hungary. Additionally, a German individual is also implicated in the Salis trial and has also denied any wrongdoing.
