Italian Justice Minister Seeks to Overturn Arrest of Iranian Engineer Amid International Tensions
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has officially requested the Milan appeals court to revoke the arrest of Iranian citizen Abedini Najafabadi Mohammad, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Justice on Sunday. This move comes in light of concerns regarding the validity of the charges against Najafabadi under existing Italian law.
The statement from Minister Nordio highlights that under Article 2 of the extradition treaty between the United States and Italy, only crimes that are regarded as punishable by the laws of both countries can result in extradition. The Ministry clarified that the charges against Najafabadi—specifically, criminal association to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a US federal law—do not constitute a crime recognized under Italian law.
Najafabadi was arrested by Italian authorities on December 16, following a US warrant issued for his arrest. This incident occurred just three days before the detention of Italian journalist Cecilia Salas in Tehran. Najafabadi, a 38-year-old engineer, has been accused of exporting drone parts implicated in the deaths of three US servicemen in Jordan last year. He remains in a Milan jail while awaiting a hearing on potential house arrest, scheduled for January 15.
The backdrop of Najafabadi's arrest intertwines with international dynamics, particularly concerning Salas, a 29-year-old freelance journalist for Il Foglio newspaper and a podcaster at Chora News. Salas was recently released from Iranian custody and returned to Italy on Wednesday. Tehran, however, has denied allegations that Salas was detained as leverage to extract Najafabadi's release.
As the situation develops, it raises significant questions about the interplay between legal processes and international relations, particularly in cases involving extradition and the differing legal recognitions of alleged crimes by various countries. The upcoming hearing for Najafabadi could set a precedent and may influence the diplomatic relations between Italy and Iran, as well as between Italy and the United States.
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