Italy’s top court overturns Schmidheiny asbestos conviction

Italy’s Court of Cassation has overturned Stephan Schmidheiny’s 9½-year prison sentence in an asbestos-related case, SRF reported. The case will return to a court in Turin for a new assessment.

The Turin court had convicted Schmidheiny of negligent homicide in 91 cases linked to an Eternit factory in Piedmont. The case concerns the period from 1976 to 1986, when he led the Swiss Eternit Group. Italy’s top court ruled that 25 cases were time-barred; the retrial will consider his possible responsibility for the deaths of around 60 people.

Schmidheiny’s defence argued that prosecutors had not proved a direct causal link between his actions and each victim’s illness. The court’s written reasoning is expected in the coming weeks. His spokesperson said the defence would continue to seek an acquittal.

Relatives of asbestos victims from Casale Monferrato, where the factory was located, reacted with disappointment. A former Eternit worker called the ruling “a real injustice” and said further delays could mean more cases become time-barred.