Italian Public Prosecutor requests dismissal of arms manufacturer RWM Italia's case on involvement in Saudi/UAE airstrikes in Yemen
"The case against UAMA and RWM Italia is not about negligence, it's about Italy's role in deadly Saudi/UAE-Led coalition airstrike", 8 Oct 2019
Exactly three years ago a family of six was killed in an airstrike by the Saudi/UAE-led military coalition in Deir Al-Hajari in Northwest Yemen. Those killed in the strike included a pregnant woman and her four young children. Bomb remnants were found at the site of the attack, including a suspension lug manufactured by RWM Italia S.p.A., a subsidiary of the German Arms Manufacturer Rheinmetall AG...
After more than a year and a half of investigations, the Italian Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome, instead of carrying out a complete assessment of the role of Italy and an Italian weapons manufacturer’s potential role in crimes in Yemen, has decided to request a dismissal of the case. The three organizations will appeal the Prosecutor’s decision, as the case - and Yemeni victims - deserve a proper investigation of Italy’s role...
[The civil society organizations argue that]:
when looking at the offence of abuse of office...documents from the investigation show that still in November 2017 arms exports to Saudi/UAE coalition members were granted, despite documentation of serious violations of international law...
the prosecutor confirmed the RWM Italia suspension lug found at the scene of the...attack may have been exported in November 2015...
the prosecutor insufficiently examined whether the exports by RWM Italia and their licensing amount to criminal conduct...