Rome, 2 Sep. (LaPresse) – The 20-year prison sentence for Abdessalem Mohamed, a Syrian citizen believed to be responsible for the sinking of the caique ‘Summer Love’, the Steccato di Cutro massacre of February 26, 2023, in which 94 migrants died, is final. The Court of Cassation, in a weekday session, rejected the defense’s appeal, also upholding the €3 million fine already imposed by the Catanzaro Court of Appeal in its ruling of March 19, 2025. Attorney Vincenza Raganato had requested the annulment of the verdict, arguing that there were procedural flaws and motivational deficiencies. According to the defense, Mohamed was not among the organizers of the crossing nor the captain of the vessel, but merely a man in charge of carrying out minor engine repairs in exchange for a fee. In the appeal, the lawyers also reiterated that, as already established for the other defendant Gun Ufuk, the Syrian was not at the helm at the time of the impact. The defense had finally requested the acquisition of the documents from the proceedings against the soldiers accused of the alleged delay in rescue operations, believing that this circumstance could constitute a contributing factor to the deaths. However, the Court of Cassation rejected all the objections raised, making the conviction final.
Migrants: Supreme Court upholds 20-year sentence for smuggler in Cutro massacre
Rome, 2 Sep. (LaPresse) – The 20-year prison sentence for Abdessalem Mohamed, a Syrian citizen believed to be responsible for the sinking of the caique ‘Summer Love’, the Steccato di Cutro massacre of February 26, 2023, in which 94 migrants died, is final. The Court of Cassation, in a weekday session, rejected the defense’s appeal, also upholding the €3 million fine already imposed by the Catanzaro Court of Appeal in its ruling of March 19, 2025. Attorney Vincenza Raganato had requested the annulment of the verdict, arguing that there were procedural flaws and motivational deficiencies. According to the defense, Mohamed was not among the organizers of the crossing nor the captain of the vessel, but merely a man in charge of carrying out minor engine repairs in exchange for a fee. In the appeal, the lawyers also reiterated that, as already established for the other defendant Gun Ufuk, the Syrian was not at the helm at the time of the impact. The defense had finally requested the acquisition of the documents from the proceedings against the soldiers accused of the alleged delay in rescue operations, believing that this circumstance could constitute a contributing factor to the deaths. However, the Court of Cassation rejected all the objections raised, making the conviction final.