03:26Italy: Hundreds decry 'special surveillance' request for pro-Kurdish activists
Hundreds of pro-Kurdish activists marched in Turin on Saturday, protesting against the public prosecutor's decision to request special surveillance for five Italians who were in Syria alongside Kurdish forces, during their fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL).
One of them, Davide Grasso, admitted fighting alongside Kurdish forces, and expressed disappointment in the treatment he received in his home country.
Jacopo Bindi, who reported from Afrin during the Turkish offensive in early 2018, said the prosecutor's request was an absurd and hypocritical.
"The fact is that the Turin prosecutor says that some people who put their lives at risk for defending the Syrian society, for those values of democracy, peace and freedom of women, the European society, from ISIS, now here we are considered a danger to society," he added.
Public prosecutor Emanuela Pedrotta requested the five Italian citizens were under special surveillance for two years, citing 'social dangerousness' as a reason. Four of them reportedly fought alongside Kurdish forces during the Rojava revolution, while the fifth was involved in reporting from Afrin during the Turkish offensive.
The hearing for the prosecutor's request is scheduled to take place on January 23, at 10:00 a.m. local time (09:00 GMT).
03:26Hundreds of pro-Kurdish activists marched in Turin on Saturday, protesting against the public prosecutor's decision to request special surveillance for five Italians who were in Syria alongside Kurdish forces, during their fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL).
One of them, Davide Grasso, admitted fighting alongside Kurdish forces, and expressed disappointment in the treatment he received in his home country.
Jacopo Bindi, who reported from Afrin during the Turkish offensive in early 2018, said the prosecutor's request was an absurd and hypocritical.
"The fact is that the Turin prosecutor says that some people who put their lives at risk for defending the Syrian society, for those values of democracy, peace and freedom of women, the European society, from ISIS, now here we are considered a danger to society," he added.
Public prosecutor Emanuela Pedrotta requested the five Italian citizens were under special surveillance for two years, citing 'social dangerousness' as a reason. Four of them reportedly fought alongside Kurdish forces during the Rojava revolution, while the fifth was involved in reporting from Afrin during the Turkish offensive.
The hearing for the prosecutor's request is scheduled to take place on January 23, at 10:00 a.m. local time (09:00 GMT).