Battisti appeal against life term rejected

(ANSA) - Milan, May 22 - A Milan court on Wednesday rejected a petition by former leftwing terrorist Cesare Battisti to have his life sentence for four murders transformed into a 30-year term.
    The 64-year-old was brought back to Italy in January after spending 37 years as a fugitive to Italian justice following his activities for the PAC group during the 'years of lead' of political violence in the 1970s and 1980s.
    He was arrested in January in Bolivia, where he had moved to from Brazil after new Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro promised to have him extradited.
    If Battisti's petition had been accepted if would have effectively brought his sentence down to 20 years, seven months, due to various factors, such as time already served.
    Battisti's lawyer said he would challenge Wednesday's ruling.