France's highest court rejects extradition of Italian leftist militants

France's top court on Tuesday definitively rejected an extradition request from the Italian government to deport a group of ten former leftist militants for acts which occurred over 30 years ago.

France's top court on Tuesday definitively rejected an extradition request from the Italian government to deport a group of ten former leftist militants for acts which occurred over 30 years ago. Last year, a decision by a lower court not to extradite the militants on grounds of their human rights such as a private and family life, had sparked a rift between the two countries, with some politicians in Rome accusing the French judges of an "unacceptable" decision.

"The Court of Cassation dismisses the appeals ... considering that the reasons adopted by the judges, which are part of their assessment, are sufficient," the Cour de Cassation, France's highest appeals court, said in a statement on Tuesday as it upheld the ruling. In April 2021, France arrested seven fugitive Italian leftist militants after harbouring them for decades following their conviction in Italy on terrorism charges.

The group concerned by Tuesday's decision consisted of those seven people and three more, all aged between 62 and 89.