Let’s start from a given, the prisoners, so far five, in the order Francesco Bonura, Pino Sansone, Vincenzino Iannazzo, Pasquale Zagaria, Domenico Perre. A denial instead for Benedetto “Nitto” Santapaola. Green light granted by surveillance magistrates. Immediate polemics of the right, the attacks of the League and Brothers of Italy, and also of Forza Italia, which also fought in the past for house arrest for health reasons against Marcello Dell’Utri.
So much so. The right accuses Bonafede because of a circular of the Dap of 21 March directed to the supervisors and directors of the individual institutes which, due to the emergency, in turn must report the cases of illness to the magistrates and also the prisoners who exceed 70 years. No mention of consequent release obligations. But anyway, evidently the circular has also set in motion the requests of elderly or sick prisoners who have seized the possibility of leaving prisons. The requests rained down, gradually released some releases, however defended by the judges themselves as inevitable precisely because of the state of health of the detainees.
But Bonafede is not there. There is no indirect accusation that the origin of the release can be traced back to the ministry. He intervenes for the first time three days ago, Wednesday 22nd, speaks of “cynicism that becomes pure and unacceptable looting”, of “false, dangerous and irresponsible” statements when attributing responsibility for release from recent law decrees.Already announces the intervention of the inspectors of via Arenula, but defines the work that in these weeks of great tension in the homelands, after the riots of February, the surveillance magistrates are doing “very important”, to whom about 6 thousand interventions on detainees placed at home precisely because of the law decrees.
But the controversy continues above all because the release from prison continues, the latest from Zagaria, while the request to leave Cutolo is announced. Hence the new post on Fb del Guardasigilli that uses very strong expressions.
Like this: “The fight against the mafias is a serious matter. Talk about it superficially, throw such an important topic into the daily life, lie to the citizens saying that there is a law (or even a circular) of this government that requires judges to release the mobsters is very serious. ” This is precisely the circular of the Dap which instead has not ordered any release. While the center-right holds the opposite.
Bonafede reiterates that “decisions on release for health reasons are taken in full autonomy and independence from the judiciary”, that is, of surveillance. Which, again three days ago, after the Bonura case, was also defended by the ANM. The minister repeats that, at this point, the ministry inspectors will still check the individual files.
Then the announcement of a political step, in agreement with the president of the Anti-Mafia commission Nicola Morra, will be some law decrees to address the issue. The ban, that is, to release those currently in 41bis, that is the hardest prison in which contacts with other prisoners are not allowed.
Bonafede also confirms an indiscretion already anticipated 24 hours before, namely that in the government’s provision it will be expressly written that “all decisions relating to instances of release from prisoners for mafia crimes” will be submitted for a go-ahead both to the National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor’s Office and Counter-terrorism, both to the individual District Anti-Mafia and Counter-Terrorism Prosecutors. A measure, however, that cannot be operative as early as Monday when the request of the Camorra boss Cutolo arrives on the surveillance magistrates’ table.
