Tension is brewing in Italy after Catania judge Iolanda Apostolico struck down the Italian government's detention of three migrants in a pre-deportation center in the Sicilian city of Pozzallo.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has criticized the decision and the judge behind it, prompting other judges to charge the Italian government with "questioning the independence of the judiciary."

Meloni however said "there is no clash with the judiciary."

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has confirmed plans to appeal the decision.

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Appeal within 60 days

The government reportedly intends to move forward with the appeal, which is being overseen by the officers of the interior ministry as well as the state attorney's office, within 60 days.

Italy's national judges association released a statement earlier this week charging the government with "undermining [the] independence and autonomy" of the judiciary.

In a statement of support for Apostolico, the judges stressed the importance of "jurisdictional control over measures that limit personal freedom" to "any liberal democracy."

The statement noted that accusations made by the Italian government -- indictments of judges as "enemies of the security of the nation" and "obstacles to the defense of public order" guilty of "hurling themselves against the measures taken by a democratically elected government" -- put into question the function of jurisdiction in Italy.

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'This is dangerous'

Now Italy's Supreme Judicial Council is debating the division between the judiciary and the government itself.

"We did not hold that it was useful to sign the request -- because regardless of the merits or otherwise of it -- we do not engage in politics," council member Bernardette Nicotra said.

A statement released by the group she belongs to, Magistratura Indipendente, noted that the choice was made to avoid "further fostering the damaging counterposition between democratic institutions in place."

Council member Roberto Fontana noted that "measures taken by judges are open to criticism. However, it is not allowable that -- in referring to the content of a measure -- a judge can be called an enemy of national security or of the government. This is dangerous."

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