Italy violated Germany's national sovereignty by allowing its courts to handle restitution claims for Nazi war crimes, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday. In 2008, the Italian Supreme Court ruled that Luigi Ferrini, an Italian national, was entitled to reparations for his forced deportation to Germany in 1944, where he worked as a slave laborer in the armaments industry. The 15-judge ICJ, the UN's highest legal body, said in a 12-3 ruling that the Italian case violated Germany's rights under international law. Rulings by the ICJ are final and binding....Germany had filed its case against Italy before the ICJ in 2008, claiming that it enjoyed immunity from being sued in national courts. Berlin argued that the Italian court decision jeopardized the established reparations system, potentially opening a floodgate of restitution claims from individuals around the world....The German government signed its reparations treaty with Italy in 1961, which called for a restitution of 40 million D-Mark (20 million euro, $26 million) for Italians who were subjected to "National Socialist persecution due to race, religion and worldview."
Italy violated Germany's national sovereignty by allowing its courts to handle restitution claims for Nazi war crimes, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday.
In 2008, the Italian Supreme Court ruled that Luigi Ferrini, an Italian national, was entitled to reparations for his forced deportation to Germany in 1944, where he worked as a slave laborer in the armaments industry.
The 15-judge ICJ, the UN's highest legal body, said in a 12-3 ruling that the Italian case violated Germany's rights under international law. Rulings by the ICJ are final and binding.
...Germany had filed its case against Italy before the ICJ in 2008, claiming that it enjoyed immunity from being sued in national courts. Berlin argued that the Italian court decision jeopardized the established reparations system, potentially opening a floodgate of restitution claims from individuals around the world.
...The German government signed its reparations treaty with Italy in 1961, which called for a restitution of 40 million D-Mark (20 million euro, $26 million) for Italians who were subjected to "National Socialist persecution due to race, religion and worldview."
