The physical condition of Alfredo
Cospito, the anarchist leader who has been on hunger strike for
110 days against the tough 41 bis prison regime he is being held
under, are not alarming enough to require hospitalization from
the clinic in Milan's Opera Prison he is currently in, prison
sources said Monday.
Cospito, who has lost 45 kg in his hunger strike against the 41
bis normally reserved just for mafia bosses, has been refusing
supplements since last week.
Sources said that if, however, his condition were to suddenly
worsen he would be moved to the penitentiary medicine department
of Milan's San Paolo Hospital.
Cospito is campaigning to get the 41 bis lifted for all inmates,
including mafia bosses.
Premier Giorgia Meloni's government has said there is no chance
of the regime, which mandates almost complete isolation to stop
bosses running their clans from inside jails, being lifted or
eased.
League leader Matteo Salvini said Monday that the ruling
majority, comprising Meloni's rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI)
party, Salvini's rightwing League and ex-premier Silvio
Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, was united
behind Meloni and the 41 bis would not be "touched.
"The majority is united with Giorgia Meloni" said Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Salvini on the sidelines
of an initiative at the Milan Innovation District.
"You do not touch laws under threat and under blackmail or under
violence. The 41 bis was born to prevent some dangerous
prisoners, mafiosi or terrorists, from communicating their ideas
outside".
Meloni at the weekend urged "everyone to cool down" in a row
over two FdI members accused of airing classified information
and saying that the centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD)
had "bowed to the mafia" after four PD members visited Cospito
to verify his condition on the same day that the anarchist
received a message of support from a mafia boss.
The opposition accused Meloni, however, of perpetuating the row
after she defended her party members and said they should not
bow to demands they resign.
Anarchists have staged protests and attacks in Italy and abroad
in support of Cospito and there were big rallies in Rome and
Milan at the weekend in which demonstrators clashed with police
and some weer arrested.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
