Italian anti-fascist activist Ilaria Salis has returned to her parents' house in Monza, Italy, after being freed from house arrest in Budapest. Salis, who was elected as a new member of the European Parliament for the Italian Green and Left Alliance, was released from house arrest after more than a year in detention in Hungary.
Salis, 39, faced charges in Hungary for allegedly assaulting far-right demonstrators during an incident related to the far-right Day of Honor event. Despite the allegations, Salis was elected to the European Parliament, where lawmakers enjoy legal immunity from prosecution for crimes committed prior to their election.
Over 170,000 voters in Italy wrote Salis' name on the ballot in a show of support to bring her back home from Hungary. The Italian activist's case gained attention after images of her in handcuffs and shackles in a Hungarian courtroom surfaced.
Salis' father expressed relief at her return and emphasized the need to clear her name of the accusations she believes are unjust. Before the European Parliament election, he raised concerns about the severity of the potential sentence she faced in Hungary, with the prosecutor seeking an 11-year prison term.
The incident that led to Salis' arrest involved a group of anti-fascists allegedly assaulting individuals they believed were associated with the far-right Day of Honor event, which commemorates a failed Nazi and Hungarian soldier breakout attempt in 1945. The alleged victims did not report the incident to the police.
Salis' release from house arrest marks a significant development in her legal battle in Hungary, and her supporters continue to advocate for the charges against her to be dropped.
