Request for the defence of parliamentary immunity of Luigi de Magistris

The European Parliament adopted a decision to defend the immunity and privileges of Luigi de Magistris (ALDE, IT).

Luigi de Magistris has requested the defence of his parliamentary immunity in connection with proceedings before an Italian court.

To recall, the request by Luigi de Magistris relates to a writ of summons filed against him before the Court of Catanzaro on behalf of Mr Maurizio Mottola di Amato in connection with two articles that Luigi de Magistris published on his website in early 2011. According to the writ of summons, statements made in those articles constitute libel, resulting in a claim for damages and a request for an injunction requiring the removal of the articles.

For his part, Luigi de Magistris submits that in his role as Member of the European Parliament he considers it altogether proper to inform the citizens about Italian court documents (which were documents not covered by any confidentiality provisions) in order to highlight the abnormal exercise of the judicial function in Italy, especially at the court of Catanzaro, and that the statements made therefore constitute an expression of the political activity of an MEP which should be protected by the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities.

It is for this reason that the European parliament has decided to defend the immunity of Luigi de Magistris.