Prosecutors ask to effectively close case against top Italian, WHO officials over COVID-19 response
Rome prosecutors have asked a judge to archive an investigation into Italian and U.N. health officials over Italy’s 2020 Covid-19 response
ByThe Associated Press
November 23, 2023, 1:00 PM
ROME — Rome prosecutors asked a judge Thursday to effectively close an investigation into Italian and U.N. health officials over Italy’s 2020 Covid-19 response without charges, on the grounds that no crimes were committed, a lawyer said.
Rome prosecutors Claudia Terracina and Paolo Ielo asked to archive the investigation that had grabbed headlines given Italy’s huge toll as t he first epicenter of the pandemic in Europe. While the judge can override the request, such a decision is highly unlikely.
Already prosecutors had closed their case without filing charges against three of Italy’s past health ministers. On Thursday, they asked a judge to archive the case against nine other officials, including a former top official at the World Health Organization, Dr. Ranieri Guerra, said his lawyer Roberto De Vita.
The investigation initially focused on whether delayed lockdowns in the hard-hit northern city of Bergamo contributed to the toll, but expanded to include whether Italy’s overall preparedness going into the crisis played a role.
Included was controversy over a WHO report into Italy’s response that was published by the U.N. health agency in May 2020 and then taken down a day later and never republished.
A former WHO official, Francesco Zambon, had suggested that WHO spiked the report to spare the Italian government criticism that its pandemic preparedness plan hadn’t been updated. WHO said it was pulled because it contained inaccuracies and was published prematurely.
Guerra had been the former head of the department of prevention in the Italian health ministry until 2017 and was a WHO envoy to Italy during the pandemic. De Vita said prosecutors determined the pandemic plan was in the process of being updated.
He welcomed the decision to archive the case, saying it should have been closed two years ago as soon as Guerra provided documentation to prosecutors showing he had acted correctly.
In a statement, Guerra said his reputation had been “gravely” harmed by the controversy and lashed out at those who had accused him of not protecting Italy.
News Related
-
Indonesia's 3 presidential contenders vow peaceful campaigns ahead of next year election Indonesia’s three presidential hopefuls have vowed a peaceful race, a day before campaigning for next year’s election officially began as concerns rose their rivalry may sharpen religious and ethnic divides in Southeast Asia’s largest democracy ByFADLAN SYAM Associated ...
See Details:
Indonesia's 3 presidential contenders vow peaceful campaigns ahead of next year election
-
-
-
Poland's president swears in a government expected to last no longer than 14 days Poland’s president has sworn in a government that isn’t expected to last more than 14 days ByVANESSA GERA Associated Press November 27, 2023, 6:14 AM The leader of Poland’s opposition alliance, Donald Tusk attends the first ...
See Details:
Poland's president swears in a government expected to last no longer than 14 days
-
-
Putin signs Russia's largest national budget, bolstering military spending Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a national budget for the next three years that increases spending by around 25% and reportedly devotes a record amount to defense as the the country’s military operation in Ukraine drags on ByThe Associated Press ...
See Details:
Putin signs Russia's largest national budget, bolstering military spending
-
-
Pope Francis getting antibiotics for lung problem, limiting appointments: Vatican The Vatican says Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inflammation but that he doesn't have pneumonia ByThe Associated Press November 27, 2023, 4:32 AM A giant screen broadcasts Pope Francis coughing during the Angelus noon prayer, ...
See Details:
Pope Francis getting antibiotics for lung problem, limiting appointments: Vatican
-
-
Pope Francis getting antibiotics for lung problem, limiting appointments: Vatican The Vatican says Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inflammation but that he doesn't have pneumonia ByThe Associated Press November 27, 2023, 4:32 AM A giant screen broadcasts Pope Francis coughing during the Angelus noon prayer, ...
See Details:
Live updates | Israel-Hamas truce will be extended for 2 more days, Qatar says
-
Pope Francis getting antibiotics for lung problem, limiting appointments: Vatican The Vatican says Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inflammation but that he doesn't have pneumonia ByThe Associated Press November 27, 2023, 4:32 AM A giant screen broadcasts Pope Francis coughing during the Angelus noon prayer, ...
See Details:
Puerto Rico opposition party to hold gubernatorial primary
-
Pope Francis getting antibiotics for lung problem, limiting appointments: Vatican The Vatican says Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inflammation but that he doesn't have pneumonia ByThe Associated Press November 27, 2023, 4:32 AM A giant screen broadcasts Pope Francis coughing during the Angelus noon prayer, ...
See Details:
Beijing police investigate major Chinese shadow bank Zhongzhi after it says it's insolvent
-
Pope Francis getting antibiotics for lung problem, limiting appointments: Vatican The Vatican says Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inflammation but that he doesn't have pneumonia ByThe Associated Press November 27, 2023, 4:32 AM A giant screen broadcasts Pope Francis coughing during the Angelus noon prayer, ...
See Details:
Wilders ally overseeing first stage of Dutch coalition-building quits over fraud allegation
-
OTHER NEWS
Czech labor unions stage a day of action in protest at spending cuts and taxes Labor unions have staged a day of protests and strikes across the Czech Republic to ...
Read more »
ICC prosecutors halt 13-year Kenya investigation that failed to produce any convictions The International Criminal Court prosecutor’s office is halting its long-running investigation into deadly violence that broke out in ...
Read more »
An abducted German priest is freed in Mali, a year after being seized in the country's capital A German priest who was abducted by al-Qaida-linked rebels in Mali’s capital in ...
Read more »
North Korea redeploys troops to surveillance posts along DMZ after withdrawing from military agreement with South Korea Wooden structures were installed in at least 11 locations, South Korea said. ByJoohee ...
Read more »
Representatives of European and Arab countries meet in Barcelona to discuss the Israel-Hamas war Delegations from the European Union member states and Middle Eastern and north African countries are meeting ...
Read more »
French labor minister goes on trial for alleged favoritism when he was a mayor French Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt is going on trial over charges of favoritism related to a ...
Read more »
Israel and Hamas look to extend cease-fire on its final day, with one more hostage swap planned International mediators are pressing to extend a cease-fire in Gaza that has halted ...
Read more »