Two members of opposing political
views serving on Italy's Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM),
the Italian judiciary's self-governing body, told ANSA they
agreed with a Turin judge's decision to reject a request for the
arrest of a Moroccan man caught masturbating near a young female
passenger on a city bus.
In judge Alessandra Cecchelli's decision, she cited that
sexual abuse can't occur without physical contact with the
victim and that the man's behavior could be classified as a
"mere obscene act".
The decision was disputed by the head of the Italian
parliament's committee against femicide, Francesca Puglisi, who
announced she would present a parliamentary question to Justice
Minister Orlando.
CSM councillor Pierantonio Zanettin said thatm while he felt
the same "indignation" as Puglisi, the decision was "technically
correct".
Zanettin said it would be more appropriate to criticize the
government's decriminalization of obscene acts.
CSM member Paola Balducci also agreed that the judge "was
right", adding that it would be different if the woman had been
a minor under 14 years old.
"In that case it would be considered corruption of minors,
punishable by up to five years in prison; that would make it
possible to issue a pre-trial custody order," she said.
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