Right in his boots. Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed on Thursday June 30 his wish that the ten ex-extreme left Italian activists claimed by Italy for their role during the “years of lead” be “tried on Italian soil”. French justice opposed their extradition the day before.
“I supported the Italian government’s request for these brigadists” in favor of their extradition, said the French president during a press conference in Madrid, adding that he would like “see if an appeal in cassation is possible” Where “if there are still jurisdictional avenues that would allow us to go further”.
He said he wanted to apply the “doctrine that France has always had” who “only rejected extradition requests from people who were not involved in blood crimes”. “In this case, these people were involved in blood crimes and deserve to be judged on Italian soil. This is the respect we owe to the families of the victims and to the Italian nation”he added.
Justice invokes the right to family life
In the spring of 2021, after months of negotiations, Emmanuel Macron had decided to promote the execution of the extradition requests for these two women and eight men, renewed a year earlier by Rome. These ten activists, now aged 61 to 78, were wanted by Italy for “acts of terrorism” in the 1970s and 1980s. Some have lived in France for forty years.
But the investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal issued an unfavorable opinion on their handing over to Italy, relying on respect for the right to private and family life and on respect for the right to a fair trial (Articles 8 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights).
The President ruled out the additional information requested by the two Advocates General with regard to the date of the events and the duration of the proceedings.
