Italy schedules new hearing for Carla Zambelli extradition

The Italian judiciary has scheduled a new hearing for late October to re-evaluate the extradition request for former Brazilian federal deputy Carla Zambelli. The hearing, expected to take place around October 27 to 29, will focus on whether the request meets legal requirements and international treaties rather than re-examining the merits of her convictions.

This specific request pertains to a sentence of five years and three months for illegal firearm possession and unlawful constraint, stemming from an incident in October 2022 where Zambelli pursued a man with a weapon in São Paulo. The proceedings were restarted in July after Italy’s Court of Cassation annulled a previous decision, citing the need for more information regarding the medical assistance Zambelli would receive in the Brazilian prison system, given her health conditions including fibromyalgia.

Zambelli faces two separate final convictions in Brazil. A previous extradition request regarding a ten-year sentence for hacking the National Council of Justice (CNJ) systems was rejected by Italian authorities, who questioned the impartiality of Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Zambelli currently resides in Italy under judicial liberty and her defense maintains that the Brazilian convictions are the result of political persecution and lack due process.