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The case of Ilaria De Rosa (23) made headlines worldwide. The young woman from Treviso near Venice works in Jeddah as a flight attendant for the Lithuanian company Avion Express.
But she hasn’t boarded a plane for a long time. She has been detained since early May – and now a judge has sentenced her to six months in prison. Reason: drug possession. The sentence was pronounced in the presence of an Italian consul, reports “Ansa”. After serving time, she will be deported from the country.
She thought it was a robbery
It is still unclear whether the Italian will appeal. She strongly denies possession of drugs. Her version of events is as follows: She was having dinner with friends – all men – when a group of armed men in civilian clothes broke into the house and searched the guests. She still thought it was a robbery, but then ended up at a police station.
There she was interrogated for hours, accused of hiding a joint in her bra. According to Italian media, Ilaria claims she has never drunk or used drugs. But – and this could be her downfall – she signed a document without understanding what it said.
Fellow detainee gets 1.5 years in prison
Her parents, who suddenly didn’t hear from her anymore, reported the flight attendant missing. Only days later did it become clear that she was in custody. Even the Italian foreign minister subsequently protested to his colleagues.
Possession of drugs in Saudi Arabia can lead to severe penalties. The international attention could have saved Ilaria De Rosa from it. A man arrested with her was sentenced to one and a half years in prison. (new)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
