Italy's Salvini to hear verdict for blocking migrant rescue ship

Italian far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini risks six years in prison as he hears a Sicilian court's verdict on Friday over his August 2019 decision to block a migrant rescue boat from docking.

The public prosecutor accuses Salvini, who was interior minister at the time, of kidnapping and dereliction of duty for not allowing migrants to disembark from the Open Arms charity boat.

The Open Arms, carrying some 160 migrants from Africa who had crossed the Mediterranean in an attempt to reach the European Union, was forced to stay at sea for three weeks before it was finally allowed to dock on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

As conditions on board deteriorated and desperation grew, several people jumped into the water and tried to swim to shore.

Proceedings against Salvini were launched at a court in the Sicilian capital Palermo more than three years ago.

Prosecutors have called for him to serve a six-year sentence. Salvini says he is being politically persecuted by "communist" judges pursing a left-wing agenda. His defence team is demanding an acquittal.

Even if convicted, the 51-year-old has made it clear that he intends to remain in office. Friday's verdict is not final.

Salvini is leader of the right-wing League party and is one of the central figures in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition. The governing parties rallied around Salvini as he defended himself in the case.

He now serves as minister of infrastructure and transport. But he first made a name for himself across Europe for his hardline approach to migrants and the charity ships operating in the Mediterranean in 2018 and 2019.