Rome – Undersecretary of Justice Andrea Delmastro has been sentenced to eight months in prison for revealing official secrets in connection with the case of anarchist Alfredo Cospito.
The ruling was issued by the judges of the Eighth Collegiate Section of the Rome Tribunal, overturning the request for acquittal made by the Prosecutor's Office. The verdict immediately sparked political tensions, with the government rallying behind the Fratelli d'Italia representative and the opposition calling for his resignation.
The political clash
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her disappointment with the judges' decision, calling it disconcerting: "I wonder if the judgment was truly based on the merits of the case," she said, assuring that Delmastro would remain in office. For his part, the undersecretary rejected any suggestion of resignation: "I hope there's a judge in Berlin, but I won't resign." He also announced he would appeal, branding the ruling "political."
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio also expressed his "dismay and sadness" over the conviction, emphasizing that Delmastro is "one of his most beloved and capable collaborators." Nordio reiterated his support for the undersecretary and confirmed his intention to continue with justice reforms.
The opposition's reactions
On the other side of the political spectrum, the opposition is pointing the finger at the government. Democratic Party Secretary Elly Schlein has called on the prime minister to intervene: "She must make him resign."
Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte believes Giorgia Meloni is primarily responsible for this situation. Matteo Renzi, leader of Italia Viva, attacked Delmastro on a political level: "He doesn't deserve to be in government because of what he says, not because of the convictions he receives."
Angelo Bonelli, a member of parliament for the Green and Left Alliance and the author of the complaint that triggered the investigation, was also very harsh: "This right-wing group has no respect for institutions and has exploited its position to divulge secrets with the aim of attacking the opposition."
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The case and the trial
The legal case originates from the statements made in court in February 2023 by Giovanni Donzelli, vice president of the Copasir and a member of the Brothers of Italy party, who revealed conversations between Alfred Cospito – on hunger strike against the 41-bis regime – and Camorra and 'Ndrangheta inmates in Sassari prison. The information was provided by Delmastro himself, who, as undersecretary, has access to confidential prison administration documents.
The report, marked "for limited disclosure," contained details of Cospito's interactions with mafia figures. According to the prosecution, Delmastro violated official secrecy by disclosing this information.
However, the defense argued that the undersecretary was not aware of the confidentiality of the document. The public prosecutor Paolo Ielo had asked for acquittal for lack of malice, but the court found Delmaster guilty, but granting him mitigating circumstances and suspending the sentence.
The undersecretary was also banned from holding public office for a year, while the requests for compensation advanced by four PD parliamentarians were rejected.
During the trial, Delmastro reiterated that he had not knowingly violated official secrecy: "If a document reaches me unclassified, I can use it. If it arrives classified, I remain silent," he stated at the hearing on December 12th. The case is now moving to appeal, while the political debate over justice and the role of the judiciary heats up once again.
Comments (1)
It is important that institutions maintain a certain standard of transparency and accountability. However, Delmastro's conviction raises questions about how these cases are handled, and whether there is consistency in decisions.