CSM panel opens file defending Apostolico

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 26 - The first committee of the judiciary's self-governing body, the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM), on Thursday opened a dossier aimed at protecting Iolanda Apostolico, a Catania judge who has been accused of bias after striking down a government migrant decree and freeing a number of migrants in Sicily.
    The bias claims weer made after Apostolico attended a demonstration calling for migrants held at sea by then interior minister Matteo Salvini to be released amid his controversial closed ports policy.
    Salvini, who is now deputy premier and transport minister, posted a still of a video catching Apstolico at the protest, a still whose provenance has yet to be established.
    Magistrates union ANM has called the attacks on Apostolico an unacceptable invasion of the judiciary's Constitutional independence.
    In its statement Thursday the CSM said "The first Commission of the CSM in today's session has decided by a majority (with only the abstention of President Enrico Aimi) the opening of the file to protect the autonomy and independence of the judiciary determined by the Apostolico case.
    "The verification of...numerous requests to open a case for protection arising from expressions considered by the proponents detrimental to the autonomy and independence of the judiciary has led the commission to deliberate preliminarily (unanimously) the urgent analysis of the same to assess its consistency, believing it absolutely necessary to address the issue with the completeness it deserves". (ANSA).