An Eritrean who was among a group of sea migrants held on an Italian coast guard vessel for 10 days in 2018 is entitled to compensation, Italy's top appeals court has ruled, triggering the fury of Italy's right-wing government.

The case concerns more than 150 migrants who in August 2018 were blocked at sea on the Diciotti coast guard vessel as then-Interior Minister Matteo Salvini refused to let them disembark in the Sicilian port of Catania.

Italy's highest court on Friday ruled that the government must pay compensation to a group of migrants who were held for around 10 days in 2018 on a coastguard ship after being rescued in the Mediterranean.

One of the migrants Italy's top court ordered to receive compensation from the government for stopping them getting off the Diciotti coastguard ship in 2018 said Friday he didn't want compensation but justice.