Silvio Berlusconi Sentenced to One Year in Jail for Wiretapping

Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, was sentenced to one year in jail for wiretapping a phone of a political opponent and then publishing the transcripts in a Berlusconi family-owned newspaper.

The 76-year-old denies any wrong doing and plans to appeal the sentence saying it was politically motivated, The Telegraph reports.

"It is really impossible to tolerate judicial persecution of this kind which has been going on for 20 years and which re-emerges every time there are complex moments in the political life of our country," Berlusconi said.

The sentence stems from charges that Berlusconi wiretapped phones belonging to a center-left wing political rival. Berlusconi allegedly leaked the transcript of those conversation to his brother's newspaper. The recorded conversations gave the impression that Berlusconi's rival was involved in pressuring an insurance company's takeover of an Italian bank.

The sentencing adds more fuel to the fire that has engulfed Italian politics in recent days. A tight race during last week's national election has left the government in gridlock as no political party won a clear majority vote.

Berlusconi's supporters say the court's decision is an example of corruption by left-wing Italian judges that may provoke riots on the streets.

"Expect a rebellion against this way of administering justice," Sandro Bondi, a senior member of Berlusconi's People of Freedom Party and a former culture minister, told The Telegraph. "At this rate the country will mount an open rebellion - a civil and democratic rebellion, but a full-blown rebellion nonetheless." 

Berlusconi has two opportunities to appeal the sentence. According to Jonatha Hopkin from the London School of Economics, who spoke to Voice of America, Berlusconi will probably serve no jail time.

"A very well resourced 'accusee' such as Berlusconi who is able to pay the best lawyers in the land has very good chances of overturning any convictions," he said.