Eight other threats identified – 9th July 2018

Victims include Carlo Carillo, Mario De Michele, Antonio Loconte, Filippo Graziosi, Ferruccio Sansa, Marco Preve, Matteo Indice and Lucio Gambera.

Ossigeno per l’Informazione maintains that the following episodes represent unjustifiable violations of freedom of expression and press freedom. The ten names of the journalists and bloggers affected directly have been added to the Table of names of victims of unjustifiable attacks.

1. Carlo Carillo, Castellamare di Stabia – On the 26th May 2018 in Castellammare di Stabia (NA), the journalist Carlo Carrillo, editor of the online newspaper, Stabiapolis has been verbally attacked by a M5S candidate for the municipal council. The journalist had been photographing the car of the candidate parked illegally near a bend. The candidate turned to Carrillo, threatening and insulting him:, “If you publish those photos I’ll break your head, I’ll come and get you at your home, did you get that, idiot?”. Read the news on the online newspaper Stabiachannel.

2. Mario De Michele, Orta di Atella – The journalist Mario De Michele editor of campanianotizie.com was threatened and attacked by two individuals whilst he was interviewing along with a cameraman, several candidates for the municipal council. One of the two with a threatening tone suggested De Michele publish nothing else on Orta and to no longer come back to the town. They were probably annoyed by articles written by De Michele on the election campaign. The episode took place in the evening of the 29th May 2018 in Orta di Atella (Caserta). Read the news on the online newspaper, CasertaNews.

3. Antonio Loconte, Bari – On the 17th June the journalist Antonio Loconte, editor of Ilquotidianoitaliano.com was threatened on Facebook by a relative of a woman under house arrest for several bag-snatchings and who Loconte named in his article. “Loconte’s days are numbered” was one of the threats directed at the journalist who has publicly denounced the episode but has not made a formal complaint. “I prefer to continue to shine a spotlight on these themes; the judicial process for these things is very slow and end up being forgotten.” Read the news on ilquotidianoitaliano.com

4. Filippo Graziosi, Rimini – In March 2015 the M5S parliamentarian and currently president of the Justice Commission in the lower House – Giulia Sarti insulted, in a Facebook post, the journalist Filippo Graziosi (Resto del Carlino). She had defined him as a “jackal”, “always subservient to whomever is the owner” because she resented the publication of an article by Graziosi entitled “Sarti finds treasure in the Lower House” in which the journalist analysed the salaries of the representatives. Other Facebook users commented on the post of Sarti to the point of threatening death to Graziosi who – however – sued the parliamentarian. After three years, on the 11th June 2018 the Rome Court found Sarti guilty of defaming the journalist. The parliamentarian must pay a fine of 1000 euro and the trial costs.

5. Ferruccio Sansa, Marco Preve, Matteo Indice, Bolzano – On the 13th June 2018 the journalists Ferruccio Sansa (Il Fatto Quotidiano), Matteo Indice (La Stampa) and Marco Preve (Repubblica) were picked out by the Financial Police of Bolzano, held in police station and questioned as individuals with knowledge of the facts after having published that morning in their respective newspapers, articles relating to the investigation into recycling – on behalf of persons unknown – in the accounts of the Lega after the transfer abroad of 3 million euro. The three journalists who had left Genoa to arrive in Bolzano had learned that there would be conducted that very morning a search of the Sparkasse bank in Bolzano. The Financial Police had asked them to reveal the sources of their information.

6. Lucio Gambera, Catania – On the 17th May 2018 offensive phrases and serious accusations appeared on the Facebook page of Lucio Gambera editor of the Gazzetta del Calatino and correspondent for la Sicilia of Catania. The post spoke of the vulture and jackal attitude of the journalist and refers to the latest developments in a trial of collusion between mafia, the business community and politicians. Gambera, a journalist dealing in legal and criminal news, reported the episode to the police of Militello in Val di Catania. The Assostampa of Catania expressed support.