By Prensa Latina,
Rome : An Italian court sentenced 15 of 45 defendants involved in abuses and beatings of demonstrators during the G-8 Summit in Genoa to a total of 24 years in prison.
After 12 hours of deliberations, the court of the Italian city of Bolzaneto announced the sentences handed over to the defendants, including riot police officers, prison officials and medical personnel, who were involved in the events that took place in July 2001.
However, the defendants will not go to prison, so leftwing European Deputy Vitorio Agnoletto, a spokesman for the Genoa Social Forum (against globalization) seven years ago, described the ruling as extremely contradictory.
“All witnesses told the truth, but no one is guilty,” he pointed out.
The defendants were accused of involvement in clashes between riot police and demonstrators in Genoa, where Carlo Giuliani, 23, was shot by an Italian policeman and was badly treated at the Bolzaneto garrison.