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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Italy court considers PM immunity | Italy court considers PM immunity |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Italy's top court is to begin deciding whether Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has immunity from prosecution whilst in office. | Italy's top court is to begin deciding whether Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has immunity from prosecution whilst in office. |
| The immunity law enabled Mr Berlusconi to withdraw from a number of court cases, including one where he was accused of corruption. | The immunity law enabled Mr Berlusconi to withdraw from a number of court cases, including one where he was accused of corruption. |
| Opponents say immunity violates the principle that all citizens are equal before the law. | Opponents say immunity violates the principle that all citizens are equal before the law. |
| If Mr Berlusconi loses, his advisers say he may have to resign. | |
| Soon after coming to power last year, a law was passed giving Mr Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office. | Soon after coming to power last year, a law was passed giving Mr Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office. |
| Bribery conviction | Bribery conviction |
| At the time he was facing a number of court cases, including one involving the British lawyer David Mills, in which Mr Berlusconi was accused of bribing him to give false evidence. | At the time he was facing a number of court cases, including one involving the British lawyer David Mills, in which Mr Berlusconi was accused of bribing him to give false evidence. |
| Mills, who said he was innocent, was sentenced in February to four years and six months in prison for corruption. | Mills, who said he was innocent, was sentenced in February to four years and six months in prison for corruption. |
| Now prosecutors from that case and two others have appealed to the Constitutional Court, saying immunity puts Mr Berlusconi above the law and should be reversed. | Now prosecutors from that case and two others have appealed to the Constitutional Court, saying immunity puts Mr Berlusconi above the law and should be reversed. |
| Mr Berlusconi says immunity allows him to govern without being "distracted" by the judiciary. | Mr Berlusconi says immunity allows him to govern without being "distracted" by the judiciary. |
| If the law was ruled unconstitutional, it would open him up again to prosecution which could weaken him politically, at a time when separate personal scandals have already dented his support, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome. | If the law was ruled unconstitutional, it would open him up again to prosecution which could weaken him politically, at a time when separate personal scandals have already dented his support, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome. |
| The court is expected to give its verdict by Thursday. | The court is expected to give its verdict by Thursday. |
| Should it rule the law unconstitutional, the trials against Mr Berlusconi would resume. | Should it rule the law unconstitutional, the trials against Mr Berlusconi would resume. |
| The immunity law also covers the head of state and speakers of both chambers of parliament. | The immunity law also covers the head of state and speakers of both chambers of parliament. |