The Lower House on Wednesday night
gave final approval to a bill limiting wiretaps in criminal
investigations.
The bill, which had already received a green light from the
Senate on October 9 last year, passed with 147 votes in favour,
67 against and one abstention.
The legislation, drafted by centre-right Forza Italia (FI)
Senator Pierantonio Zanettin, sets a 45-day limit for wiretaps.
The limit can only be extended in cases in which it is
"absolutely indispensable" as part of investigative operations,
if it is justified by "specific and concrete elements", which
need to be motivated, according to the text.
The time limit does not concern terrorism and organized crime
cases.
Members of the centre-left opposition and the judiciary have
protested against the measure, saying it will affect
investigations into serious charges including murder and
gender-based violence.
"It is a very grave error because it cracks down in an
unprecedented way" on wiretaps used in investigations "into very
serious crimes like homicide", said the centre-left Democratic
Party (PD) whip in the justice commission, MP Federico Gianassi.
Deputy Justice Minister Francesco Paolo Sisto defended the
measure, explaining that it will "not limit in any way
investigative needs" since "wiretaps will be regularly ordered,
but will need stronger motivations".
On Thursday Cesare Parodi, the president of the judiciary's
union, the National association of Magistrates (ANM), told State
broadcaster RAI's Tg2 that the measure would make it more
difficult for investigators to determine the truth when probing
crimes including robbery, sexual violence or child abuse.
"Wiretaps connected to a series of crimes will have a 45-day
deadline that can be extended with a more restrictive law",
Parodi said of the reform.
"It is certainly a legitimate choice for the government, but it
will undoubtedly make it more difficult to establish the truth
for certain crimes: I am thinking about robberies, sexual
violence or domestic abuse on minors", he told the news program.
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