“I am calm, I trust in justice”. This is the state of mind of MEP Andrea Cozzolino, in prison in Poggioreale since last night, who spoke with the lawyer Vincenzo Domenico Ferraro, on the occasion of the hearing to validate the arrest by the judges of the eighth section of the Court of Appeal of Naples.
“We discussed with the judges – added Ferraro at the end of the preliminary hearing – the seriousness of the evidence and we asked for his release”.
In Cozzolino yesterday the Gico of the Economic and Financial Police Unit of the Guardia di Finanza of Naples has notified a European arrest warrant issued by the Belgian Prosecutor's Office as part of the investigation into the so-called Qatargate.
In the next few hours the judges will decide whether or not to mitigate the precautionary measure of arrest in prison to which Cozzolino was subjected. “In relation to the extradition request – continued the lawyer Ferraro – the procedure will be decidedly longer”.
Andrea Cozzolino in prison: "I am calm, I trust in justice"
The judges of the eighth section of the Court of Appeal of Naples are called today to evaluate which is, based on the seriousness of the evidence, the most suitable precautionary measure for the MEP. In the evening, therefore, it will probably be known whether Cozzolino should remain in prison, be placed under house arrest or even released.
“We opposed both the seriousness of the evidence and the risk of escape, which in our opinion does not exist since Cozzolino, before the revocation of parliamentary immunity, had repeatedly asked to be heard to clarify his position,” added lawyer Ferraro, who was joined today by lawyer Federico Conte.
The validation hearing lasted a couple of hours in total and was also attended by Deputy Attorney General Luigi Musto. “Cozzolino, tried by the night spent in prison – the lawyers added – is nevertheless calm and confident in justice”.
Article published on 11 February 2023 - 15:57
