Catania’s former senator Giarrusso may be tried for defamation

Last Updated: March 16, 2024

Catania, l'ex senatore Giarrusso può essere processato per diffamazione

The Constitutional Court, accepting the appeal of the Catania Court upon the request of lawyers Eleonora Condorelli and Luca Blasi, has annulled the Senate’s decision to grant immunity to former parliamentarian Michele Giarrusso, who was accused of defamation against journalist Debora Borgese. The news was announced by the two lawyers.

“We can consider ourselves fully satisfied with the decision taken by the Constitutional Court regarding the dispute between the powers of the State,” say Eleonora Condorelli and Luca Blasi. “Without entering into the procedural merits, it is important to underline how the Court categorically excluded any functional connection between the statements addressed to our client and the parliamentary activity carried out by Senator Giarrusso, as the Court stated that the senator’s statements ‘do not constitute opinions expressed in the exercise of parliamentary function and, therefore, it was not up to the Senate to deliberate on their immunity’ – add the lawyers – We now trust that, once this issue is resolved, the proceedings can continue to determine the truth, as with any other Italian citizen.”

The legal action on behalf of the journalist was initiated after the publication in 2017 of some posts on Facebook in which Giarrusso, according to the defense, allegedly defamed the woman.