Bad News from Italy. The Ossigeno Review – 24 October 2022

Report by Lea Simonini on the worrying news about intimidation and threats to restrain freedom of the press in Italy and Europe. All news come from the continuous monitoring done by the OSSIGENO team. 

THIS REVIEW – “Bad News from Italy”- comes back in the context of the OSSIGENO M.A.P. – MONITOR ASSIST AND PROTECT project, jointly developed and co-financed by the Italian NGO and UNESCO’s Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF). This project aims at providing evidence of the need to conduct an accurate monitoring of violations of freedom of expression at both national and international levels in order to safeguard an independent and accurate press and ensure the safety of journalists. The project also aims at improving journalists’ access to specialized and gender-sensitive legal assistance. During the past ten months, the project results have highlighted the added value of a monitoring activity carried out by independent national agencies, like OSSIGENO, managed by civil society, compared to other governmental/political organizations lacking by nature an important component, which is absolute independence. The following articles are indicative of the continuous and rigorous monitoring work carried out by the team of OSSIGENO, mostly composed of volunteers due to the limited budget availability.

Monitoring work conducted by OSSIGENO and its recognition at the international level

• TOM – The Ossigeno’s Monitoring work on the safety of journalists

News on the activities carried out at international level for defending the freedom of the press and the safety of journalists.

• Commissioner H.R. appreciates Ossigeno’s monitoring work

Munja Mijatovic calls for more cooperation and synergy between international and national monitoring centres.

• H.R. Commissioner: we must join forces to fight against SLAPP

Speech by the Council of Europe Commissioner Dunja Mijatović. 

The latest intimidations and threats in Italy detected by OSSIGENO  

• Italy. Threats for an article on nostalgics for Mussolini

“I was not left alone”, says Niccolò Zancan, special correspondent of daily news La Stampa

• Death threats to Foundation in memory of journalists killed

Mural threatening writings at centre entitled to Luchetta, Ota, D’Angelo and Hrovatin that assists children wounded in war.

• Mafia. New intimidation for the journalist Mimmo Rubio  A local

Camorra criminal clan on a motorcycle together with another man approached in a threatening way the journalist Mimmo Rubio.

• Turin: threatening graffiti on the facade of daily La Stampa

Anonymous anti-vaccinations and no-war campaign slogans were written at night time on the walls of editorial offices. 

• Naples. Sexist insults at woman reporter during taxi protest

The journalist Selvaggia Lucarelli was insulted by some taxi drivers whilst taking part in a protest called together with a 48-hour strike. 

The latest libel cases in Italy reported by OSSIGENO  

• Publisher sent for trial over bankruptcy of daily news L’Unità

The first hearing will be in February 2023. 

• Indicted for defamation of the Anti-Mafia Commission

Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the direct summons to trial for the journalist Paolo Borrometi for defamation of members of the Anti-Mafia commission. 

• On trial attacker of a journalist during anti-vaccination protest

Gianpaolo Sarti was injured in Trieste and had a 7-day recovery period from the consequences of the attack. 

• Sentenced for 6 months the threatener of a journalist

Ivan Lo Monaco of Vittoria sentenced to 6 months and 10 days of detention for the threatening comments posted in 2015 on Facebook about three articles by the journalist Paolo Borrometi

READ ALL THE PREVIOUS BAD NEWS FROM ITALY 

ASP/LS