Brazilian federal police arrested Thursday Cesare Battisti to his home in the suburbs of Sao Paulo. Former militant extreme Italian left could be deported to France. But his lawyer filed an appeal against the deportation order. Battisti has been released pending a final decision.
The man, aged 60, is within the scope of a sentence of life in prison in Italy. conviction for murder and complicity to murder. The case dates back to the late 1970s, the period of the "years of lead". Battisti fled to France before taking refuge in Brazil in 2004. Meanwhile, he became a writer.
Brazilian authorities have, so far, refused to deliver it. But a few days ago, a judge ruled that Battisti had no right to stay in Brazil saying that when he arrived there in 2004, he had a false passport, and that he was in fact, illegally.
In 2011, the Brazilian government had nevertheless granted a permanent residence permit in the country.
