Rome: Italy on Tuesday recalled its ambassador from India in protest over a new delay in the legal proceedings against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen.
Ambassador Daniele Mancini will return to Italy immediately for consultations, the foreign ministry said in a statement, condemning "a new and unacceptable delay by the Indian Supreme Court" in a case that has heightened tensions between the two countries.
The two marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who are staying at the Italian embassy in New Delhi, are accused of killing two Indian fishermen they mistook for pirates while guarding a cargo ship in 2012.
"Given India's evident incapacity in handling this case, Italy will continue and intensify action to defend its sovereign rights in line with international law," Foreign Minister Emma Bonino was quoted as saying.
"Italy's main aim remains trying to obtain the return of the two marines as quickly as possible," she said.
A Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Tuesday was immediately postponed because prosecutors are still waiting for the Indian justice ministry to decide which law to try the case under, according to Italian media.
The next hearing will be on February 24.
Italian authorities have lobbied the European Union and the United Nations on the case, saying the two should be tried in Italy because it says the incident took place in international waters.
India denies this, saying it happened in Indian waters.
Ambassador Daniele Mancini will return to Italy immediately for consultations, the foreign ministry said in a statement, condemning "a new and unacceptable delay by the Indian Supreme Court" in a case that has heightened tensions between the two countries.
The two marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who are staying at the Italian embassy in New Delhi, are accused of killing two Indian fishermen they mistook for pirates while guarding a cargo ship in 2012.
"Italy's main aim remains trying to obtain the return of the two marines as quickly as possible," she said.
Advertisement
The next hearing will be on February 24.
Advertisement
India denies this, saying it happened in Indian waters.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Clay Figurine Considered to Be 3,000 Years Old Found in Italy, Handprints of Maker Said to Be Visible "I Am Confident That...": Italy PM Wishes India On 78th Independence Day One In Five Children Gets Exposed To Extreme Heat Globally, Says UN Omar Abdullah On What Should Be J&K Assembly's 1st Move After Polls Life On Earth Originates From One Ancestor, Older Than Previously Believed Kolkata Rape-Murder: Fractures, 150 mg Semen, Other Claims Denied By Cops JAM 2025: All You Need To Know About Joint Admission Test For Masters Rajasthan Bans Sharp-Edged Objects In School After 15-Year-Old Stabbed 5 Points About Tahawwur Rana, Pak-Origin 26/11 Mumbai Attacks Accused Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.