Italian Supreme Court annuls Carla Zambelli extradition, orders new hearing

On 1 July 2026 Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, nullified the earlier ruling that had authorised the extradition of former Brazilian deputy Carla Zambelli to Brazil. The court said the prior judgment contained procedural “vices” and sent the case back to the Court of Appeal in Rome for a fresh evaluation.

Zambelli, who holds dual Brazilian‑Italian citizenship, was convicted in Brazil by the Supreme Federal Court for illegal firearm possession and illegal coercion after she chased journalist Luan Araújo with a gun in São Paulo on the eve of the 2022 presidential runoff. Her defence argued that the Italian process was flawed and cited concerns about the impartiality of the Brazilian trial, especially the role of minister Alexandre de Moraes.

Brazil’s Attorney‑General’s Office maintained that the extradition request complies with the bilateral treaty and international law. The new ruling does not reassess Zambelli’s guilt; she remains free in Italy while the Italian appellate court prepares a new hearing, with her lawyers expecting the matter to be revisited in September. This decision follows a May ruling in which the same Italian court rejected an earlier extradition request related to Zambelli’s alleged hacking of the National Justice Council’s computer system.