Italian MP dismisses political persecution thesis

The Italian Public Prosecution Service, when issuing a favorable opinion on the extradition of federal deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP), considered unfounded the claim of political persecution presented by the parliamentarian in analyzing the extradition request made by the Brazilian government. UOL had exclusive access to the 16-page document. According to the Italian Public Prosecution Service, the convictions and lawsuits against Zambelli do not have a political nature and fully respect the procedural guarantees established by law. The parliamentarian has been in provisional detention since July 29 at the Rebibbia women’s prison in the Italian capital, by decision of the Rome Court of Appeal, which considered a serious risk of escape. For the prosecutor, the version that Zambelli is being persecuted by the Brazilian justice system for her opinions ‘does not find support in the content of the extradition requests.’ In the document, Prosecutor Erminio Carmelo Amelio states that ‘the conditions for refusing the extradition request are not met,’ including regarding the possible existence of ‘persecutory acts of a political nature.’