Rabat – Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has defended the two police officers who killed Moroccan-born Abderrahim Fakir, saying they were right to return to work despite an ongoing investigation into the 42-year-old’s killing.
“Those two police officers rightly returned to service, just like the Red Cross volunteers, because they did and are doing their job. Period,” Salvini said on Wednesday, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
His comments came a day after Fakir’s sister, Khadija Fakir, questioned why the two officers had been allowed to return to duty following her brother’s killing.
The officers returned to work earlier this month, around three weeks after Fakir’s killing in Bologna’s Pilastro district. They were initially assigned to desk duties rather than street patrols.
For Fakir’s family, however, the return has raised serious questions about accountability.
Fakir was killed on July 19 after police officers violently restrained him during an intervention. Videos recorded by witnesses show the officers holding him face down on the ground with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Fakir can be heard calling for help before becoming unresponsive.
The Bologna prosecutor’s office is investigating the circumstances of his death, including the actions of the two officers and four Red Cross workers who were present during the intervention. The investigation is looking into possible involuntary manslaughter.
The case has also raised concerns over the use of force and whether Fakir was kept in a position that made it difficult for him to breathe. An initial autopsy pointed to lung compression, while later findings cited by Italian media indicated positional asphyxia and compression as the cause of death.
The investigation is still ongoing. Forensic investigators in Rome are expected to examine the handcuffs used to restrain Fakir, including fingerprints and biological traces. One of the handcuffs reportedly failed to open during the final stage of the intervention.
Fabio Anselmo, the lawyer representing Fakir’s family, has argued that the handcuffs issue is relevant because Fakir should have been moved into a sitting position or onto his side to allow him to breathe.
The lawyer for the two officers, Gabriele Bordoni, has rejected the suggestion that the forensic examination of the handcuffs will reveal significant new information. He said video footage already shows who handled them.
Salvini’s defense of the officers comes as Fakir’s family continues to demand answers over the circumstances of his killing. His sister has previously said the family wants the truth about what happened during the intervention and accountability for anyone found responsible.
A further examination of Fakir’s heart is scheduled to take place in Padua on August 26, as investigators continue to establish the full circumstances of his death.
