Italian court hears Carla Zambelli in extradition hearing regarding her transfer to Brazil.
A member of parliament from the Liberal Party has been imprisoned in Rome since July and claims to be suffering from more than ten illnesses, including a rare syndrome that affects the heart.
247 - The Court of Appeal in Rome will hold its first hearing this Wednesday (13) to hear federal deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP) in the extradition process requested by the Brazilian government, reports the Metropolis.
The hearing was scheduled days after Zambelli's arrest on July 29 and her custody hearing in the Italian courts. The defense intends to present details about the parliamentarian's health condition, which, according to her father, João Hélio, includes postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome—a condition affecting the nervous system that causes abnormal acceleration of the heartbeat, and which led to her hospitalization in 2024.
Prison and detention in Rome
Zambelli was arrested after Italian MP Angelo Bonelli informed the police of her location, where she was staying at a hotel. She has since been held at the Rebibbia Penitentiary Institute on the outskirts of Rome, where she is expected to remain until the conclusion of the proceedings. The Attorney General's Office (AGU) has stated that it is taking all necessary steps to facilitate her extradition.
The congresswoman had been a fugitive since the end of May, when the Supreme Federal Court (STF) sentenced her to 10 years in prison for participating in the hacking of the National Council of Justice (CNJ) system.
Handwritten letter
Through her defense, Zambelli released a handwritten letter on August 6th in which she declares her innocence and criticizes Minister Alexandre de Moraes. In the document, she states:
"I want to state that I am being 'strong and courageous,' maintaining my faith and keeping my head held high, with a clear conscience as an innocent person. Have strength, faith, and courage. Brazil is a blessed country, and no dictator will bring us to our knees."
In the text, addressed "to Brazilians all over the world," the congresswoman states that freedom is life's greatest gift and concludes with the biblical phrase: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
