Meloni doubles down on security: Toughens policies on protests, immigration and squatting

The Italian government, led by Giorgia Meloni, is seeking to implement a broad set of security measures that will punish blocking roads or railways with up to two years in jail and prohibit illegal immigrants from buying a sim card for their cell phone without permission. The decree will also punish squatting with two to seven years in jail and using a minor to beg will be punishable by up to five years in prison.

The new law will also seek to punish rescue NGOs, so entities that identify migrant boats and do not communicate their activity to the authorities will be fined up to 10,000 euros (about $11,000). This set of rules has been dubbed the "anti-Gandhi law" by the opposition, since they argue that it is directed against peaceful demonstrations, for which penalties were previously applied through administrative channels.

The rule will also allow the inspection of asylum seekers' cell phones to monitor all the information provided by international refugees. It also includes 20 new criminal or aggravating offenses, toughening sentences for those who resist police action. At the same time, it would extend prison sentences up to eight years for inmates who participate in actions such as hunger strikes.