'Shameful decision': Meloni fumes after court frees researcher accused of helping organise violent Milan protests

An Italian judge’s decision to release a university researcher accused of helping organise violent protests in Milan earlier this month drew an angry response from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who denounced the ruling as “shameful."Meloni condemned the ruling in a social media video, calling it “an unbearable humiliation” of the work of police and investigators. She questioned how a state could protect law-abiding citizens in the face of such judicial decisions."I think this is an unbearable humiliation of the work of the police and investigators. I really don't know how a normal state can defend decent people in the face of these decisions by certain sections of the judiciary," she said in the video.Meloni’s reaction came after a Milan judge ordered the release of Youseef Siher, a 30-year-old Italian freelance journalist of Moroccan origin and a graduate in geopolitics, citing what she described as a “deeply flawed” police investigation.“There are no serious grounds for believing that (Siher) committed the offences with which he has been charged, nor is there a risk of flight,” judge Tiziana Landoni wrote in her ruling.Siher was detained by Milan prosecutors on October 24 on charges of incitement to commit crimes, aggravated by alleged terrorist motives. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.Police identified him as the administrator of the Telegram group “October 17 Movement”, which was created following the violent protests in Milan.According to the detention order, he posted what investigators described as “subversive content” and messages urging protesters to gather on October 24 to commit offences against public order.However, judge Landoni noted that the comments in question had been posted by other group members, not Siher. “Siher was not found to have encouraged or in any way supported the violent actions advocated by those users,” she wrote.The case has drawn attention because prosecutors invoked a new offence introduced under a security decree enacted by Meloni’s government this month as part of its latest law-and-order crackdown.The offence carries prison terms of four to 12 years for organisers of groups that endanger public safety or cause damage while participating in public demonstrations.Siher’s arrest has raised concerns among legal observers and members of the Italian Bar Association.Critics have also questioned the extensive media coverage of the case, with some Italian newspapers portraying him as guilty and publishing detailed accounts of his life and family.(With Reuters inputs)You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.