✓ verbatim from the press
Italy's Court of Cassation denied the extradition of former congresswoman Carla Zambelli and released on Thursday (11th) the grounds for the decision that freed her in May after almost ten months imprisoned in Rome. The Italian court pointed to "insufficiency and illogicality of the reasoning" in the Brazilian process, identifying that Justice Alexandre de Moraes accumulated "the functions of victim, first instance judge, second instance judge and execution judge" in the case that sentenced Zambelli to ten years in prison. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"A Corte de Cassação da Itália, o equivalente ao Supremo Tribunal Federal do país europeu, divulgou os motivos para negar a extradição da ex-deputada Carla Zambelli para o Brasil"
According to ruling 21634/2026, the Italian court considered that Moraes violated "the principle of impartiality and independence of the judge" by acting simultaneously as rapporteur of the process and as the party harmed by the false arrest warrant that Zambelli allegedly inserted into the CNJ system with support from hacker Walter Delgatti Neto. The decision cites the understanding of the European Court of Human Rights about the need for "objective" impartiality of the magistrate, even "in the eyes of an external observer". ✓
Press quotes (1)
"A corte italiana identificou "insuficiência e ilogicidade da fundamentação em relação ao acúmulo das funções de vítima, juiz de primeira instância, juiz de segunda instância e juiz da execução na pessoa de M.A.D.M. [Ministro Alexandre de Moraes], integrante do Supremo Tribunal Federal do Brasil, em violação ao princípio da imparcialidade e da independência do juiz"
The reasoning was based on the Brazil-Italy extradition treaty of 1989, which prohibits extradition when "the claimed person was or will be subjected to a procedure that does not ensure respect for minimum defense rights". The Italian magistrates highlighted that the Brazilian State, when questioned about impartiality, "limited itself to invoking the reasons that supported the rejection of the impediment request" by Moraes, without "addressing in depth the doubts" about the issue. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Ao decidir, a Corte italiana citou o acordo de extradição firmado entre o Brasil e Itália em 1989. Segundo o tratado, a extradição não deve acontecer se "a pessoa reclamada foi ou será submetida a um procedimento que não assegura o respeito aos direitos mínimos de defesa"
Zambelli, who has Italian citizenship, left Brazil in May 2025 and was arrested in Italy two months later. In December, the Chamber of Deputies rejected her impeachment, but the STF annulled the vote and directly decreed the loss of mandate due to the conviction. The former congresswoman remained detained at the Rebibbia women's penitentiary in Rome until being released on May 22, 2026. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"A deputada bolsonarista, que tem cidadania italiana, deixou o Brasil em maio do ano passado, passando pelos Estados Unidos antes de se mudar para o país europeu. Dois meses depois, ela foi presa"
Italian Court of Cassation denied Zambelli's extradition and questioned Moraes' impartiality
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (1)
Gazeta do Povo contextualizes the Italian decision by mentioning previous American sanctions against Moraes
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What is the exact number of the Brazilian case that originated the extradition request?
Why it's still unknown: The consulted sources did not specify the STF case number that resulted in Zambelli's conviction
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Who were the other justices who participated in the First Panel of the STF judgment?
Why it's still unknown: The articles mention it was a collegial judgment of the First Panel, but do not identify the other members
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Can Zambelli return to Brazil without risk of arrest after the Italian decision?
Why it's still unknown: The sources do not clarify whether the refusal of extradition prevents future arrest attempts on Brazilian territory