Official statement from the Italian Ministry of Justice

Italian Minister Nordio Seeks to Revoke Arrest of Iranian Engineer Abedini in Milan's Opera Prison Amid Extradition Dispute

Jan 12, 2025, 12:34 PM

Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has requested the revocation of the arrest of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian engineer detained in Milan's Opera prison. The request was filed with the Milan Court of Appeals, citing that the conditions for extradition to the United States, as outlined in Article 2 of the extradition treaty between the U.S. and Italy, are not met. The ministry noted that the charges against Abedini, including association to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and providing material support to a terrorist organization resulting in deaths, do not correspond to crimes under Italian law. Abedini's case has been linked to the recent release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from detention in Iran, although Tehran has denied any connection between the two cases.