A Milan preliminary investigations judge has refused to validate the arrest of Youssef Siher, a 30-year-old researcher and pro-Palestinian activist from Brescia who administered popular social media channels. Judge Tiziana Landoni ordered his immediate release from San Vittore prison, finding that prosecutors lacked the legal grounds and grave indications of guilt required to hold him.
Siher had been detained following a Saturday operation led by Milan’s top prosecutor Marcello Viola and public prosecutor Francesca Crupi. Authorities had targeted Siher over his administration of a Telegram channel with 11,000 subscribers and an Instagram page titled ‘Movimento 17 ottobre’ boasting 50,000 followers, which he launched on the evening of October 18 following street disturbances in central Milan. Investigators accused him of aggravated instigation to commit crimes with a terrorist purpose, alongside the newly introduced offense of organized violence during public demonstrations.
In her ruling, Judge Landoni dismantled the prosecution’s central arguments. She emphasized that instigation to delinquency requires a concrete danger and must constitute a behavior capable of directly provoking crimes while balancing freedom of expression and public safety. Reviewing Siher’s online statements, the judge noted that his posts—including a message declaring ‘war’ on the current political present—featured harsh criticism of the state, government, and media, but never advocated for violent actions or referenced the unrest of October 17 and 18 as a model for future protests.
Prosecutors had pointed to several indicators to support their case, such as a post referencing French mobilization tactics and the publication of an online protest guide inspired by the 2011 Egyptian revolution. The judge distinguished between the aggressive, unedited version of the manual found on Siher’s personal computer and the heavily redacted version actually published online, which omitted instructions concerning offensive weapons or clashes with law enforcement. Regarding coordinated protest plans and temporary online groups, the court found that while such measures aimed to evade police identification or staging unauthorized events, they remained focused on civic disobedience and public mobilization rather than criminal violence.
The judge also firmly dismissed the terrorism aggravator, noting that Siher’s expressed intent was to foster collective consciousness and stable social protest regarding economic grievances rather than to intimidate the population or inflict grave damage on the state. Furthermore, the court rejected the prosecution’s arguments concerning a flight risk, noting that family members had readily informed authorities of his whereabouts in Milan and that his decision to withhold his phone’s unlock code constituted a neutral legal choice.
Following his release, Siher was escorted from San Vittore prison by family, supporters, and Khader Tamimi, president of the Palestinian Community in Lombardy, amid a protective cordon of followers. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly criticized the judicial decision, calling the ruling shameful. The investigation remains active, with Siher and his wife, Sagia Hammoud, facing the ongoing inquiry as free individuals.
