Press release
19/07/2012
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The Embassy of Italy has conveyed to the Government of India the surprise and disappointment of the Italian Ministry of Defence on the order of the Sessions Court of Kollam dated 17th July 2012. The Court has rejected a petition requesting translation into the Italian and English languages of the documents pertaining to the on-going proceedings that involve the two Italian Navy Servicemen Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone.
Some documents related to the charge-sheet files against the two Italian marines are hand-written and some in Malayalam language, making it impossible for the two Italian marines to understand them and to defend themselves adequately.
While maintaining that this failure to provide the translation of the trial documents goes against internationally accepted standards of fair trial, the Embassy of Italy has conveyed the Ministry of Defence’s request that the Government of India intervene in the matter, so as to ensure the legitimate right for defence of the Italian Marines.
New Delhi, 19th July 2012