Lucrezia Ciotti Justice Minister Carlo Nordio commented on the Milan preliminary investigations judge's decision not to validate Youssef Siher 's arrest and to reject his request for pre-trial detention, expressing surprise at the outcome of the proceedings. A guest on Cinque minuti on Rai 1, the Minister of Justice also reignited the debate on juvenile delinquency and the criminal responsibility of young people, arguing that the principle of minority, introduced into the 1930 penal code, could be revised in light of societal changes.
Siher case, Nordio surprised by the investigating judge's decision: "The prosecutor's request was extremely well-founded."
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio spoke out about the failure to validate the arrest and the decision not to apply pre-trial detention to Youssef Siher , commenting on the case during the Cinque minuti programme on Rai 1.
The Minister of Justice emphasized that he respects the autonomy and independence of the judiciary , but expressed concern over the decision of the Milan preliminary investigations judge. " The request from the Milan prosecutor's office, which is known to be a very professional and serious prosecutor's office, was extremely severe in its reasoning toward this individual, in requesting pre-trial detention ," he stated.
Nordio then added that " the fact that it was rejected, along with the failure to validate the arrest, which technically complies with other principles, obviously surprised me ." The minister thus distinguished the two measures, emphasizing his surprise at the outcome of the precautionary measure submitted by the Prosecutor's Office, without formally questioning the independence of the magistrates called to decide the case.
Siher released from prison, Nordio on the investigating judge's decision: "Enough with the do-gooder pardon."
During the interview, the Minister of Justice broadened the discussion to include crimes committed by minors , arguing for the need to reconsider certain principles of the penal system in light of social changes. According to Nordio, " juvenile delinquency has unfortunately increased in both quality and quantity ." The minister also addressed the overcrowding of juvenile prisons and focused on the management of those responsible for particularly serious crimes, citing homicides, devastation, looting, and domestic violence. " If someone tells me what the solution might be, then we'll follow it, but if the solution has to be to let them go free, it doesn't seem rational to me ," he stated.
Nordio then challenged the automatic application of a lenient approach to adolescents who commit crimes, citing the principle of minority enshrined in the 1930 penal code, signed by Benito Mussolini. " A 17-year-old a century ago was not like a 17-year-old today ," he observed, arguing that the issue merits reflection. The minister finally clarified that lowering the criminal liability threshold to under 14 is not part of the government's plans , instead highlighting the treatment reserved for minors who commit violent and serious acts as a topic for discussion. “ Rather than reducing criminal liability under the age of 14, which is not in the government's forecasts, I would like us to stop considering a 17-year-old as a person who, no matter what he does, must be treated with understanding , with loving concern and with a sort of do-gooder forgiveness , because then if you go and ask the victim, he will tell you that he doesn't entirely agree that an aggressive and bad 17-year-old, simply because he is 17, should avoid prison .”