ROME - The Indian Supreme Court has closed the case against Italian Marines, Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, after Italy paid the country a 1.1 million euros (100 million rupees) ex gratia compensation.

  The two Italians had been charged with the killing of two Indian fishermen, Ajeesh Pink and Valentine Jelastine, in 2012 while guarding the oil tanker MV Enrica Lexie. They had allegedly warned the fishermen to stay away from the tanker, and mistaking them for pirates, had shot at their boat.

  India had wanted to try the Italians in their country but Italy had argued that since the shooting happened in international waters, the marines should be tried in Italy. India had jailed the two marines which led to many years of diplomatic disputes between the two countries, before they took the case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague.

  This court ruled in 2020 that the marines were immune to prosecution in India and should face trial in Italy, though India were entitled to compensation "for loss of life, physical injuries, material damage to the vessel and moral harm suffered by the commander and crew of the fishing vessel.” 

  A statement form the Indian court after the ruling said, “we are satisfied that the ex gratia payment already submitted can be considered a reasonable amount of compensation for the families. We believe that it is appropriate to close all proceedings in India, including criminal proceedings.”

  Several Italian politicians and diplomats praised the result, including Luigi Di Maio who said on Twitter, “thanks to all those who worked on the case consistently, thanks to our tireless diplomatic corps. It decisively puts an end to this long affair.” Paolo Gentiloni, the former Prime Minister, spoke of the “success of Italian diplomacy.”

  However, Paola Moschetta, Latorre’s wife, described how “for Italian politics we were like lambs for slaughter.” 

  “For nine years I have been forced to speak on behalf of my husband. He was explicitly forbidden to speak for fear of heavy penalties. He cannot even participate in any public pprotest. He is bound to secrecy. It is time to ask why the military authorities want to keep secret what it knows and wants to say. What I know is that for Italian politics we have been meat for slaughter.”

  The two marines will now undergo criminal proceedings in a Roman court.

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