Legal aid. Ossigeno is a civil party in the trial for the intimidation of Marilù Mastrogiovanni

The judge acknowledged the infringement of double “proper rights” protected by the Ossigeno Observatory: the freedom of expression and the safety of journalists

OSSIGENO March 26^th  2021 – The President of Ossigeno and the lawyer Andrea Di Pietro welcomed with great satisfaction the decision of judge Fabrizio Malagnino when, on March 18^th  2021, he admitted the claim by Ossigeno per l’Informazione and the FNSI (the Italian National Federation of the Press) to be a civil party supporting the journalist Marilù Mastrogiovanni in the criminal trial underway at the Court of Lecce. The  three defendants, all from Casarano (a town in Apulia), including the former mayor, were accused of several acts of intimidation (classified as aggravated defamation) committed to the detriment of Mastrogiovanni, the journalist and  director of the online newsletter “Il Tacco d’Italia”  (The Heel of Italy) who was subjected in 2017 to repeated threats and intimidation.

Marilù Mastrogiovanni was recently nominated by the Secretary General of UNESCO as President of the Jury of the Guillermo Cano International Journalism Award.

MARILU ‘MASTROGIOVANNI – “I am proud – commented Marilù Mastrogiovanni – to have at my side, constituted as a civil part, Ossigeno per l’Informazione, in the proceedings against those who have offended, denigrated, and threatened me. Ossigeno has been following the activities of Il Tacco d’Italia for almost 15 years and in a dark moment for me and for the newspaper, it literally saved my life, calling the offences out by their real name, Mafia threats, rather than as many maintained, a series of unpleasant but harmless coincidences “.  READ her full statement here

The lawyer ANDREA DI PIETRO – “Ossigeno complained, in this matter, that” an interest of its own “(freedom of expression and security of journalists) was being damaged, since this interest coincides with a constitutionally protected right that Ossigeno has taken to heart and has assumed in its statute as the very reason for its existence and activity “. Read his full statement here

THE PRESIDENT OF OSSIGENO – “In numerous trials of those responsible for threats and attacks on journalists – declared Alberto Spampinato – the fact is overlooked that, in addition to the right of the individual, a more general right has been violated: that of exercising freely, without  suffering violence or other retaliation, freedom of news, criticism, and expression. Since Ossigeno actively protects this freedom, threats to journalists damage also its activities. Representing this interest in the trial helps the injured parties to understand the context in which they were subjected to violence and its objectives. It also evokes  the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. It is very useful, as we have also seen during the trial of the journalists attacked at the Verano Cemetery (read here) where Ossigeno, in addition to offering its free legal aid, was admitted as a civil party alongside the journalists and thus enhanced this right “.

Read also

“Writing about the Mafia in the land of the Mafia. The Marilù Mastrogiovanni case”

Scrivere di mafia in terra di mafia. Il caso Marilù Mastrogiovanni

Avv. Andrea Di Pietro: “Ossigeno’s right to appear as a civil party has been confirmed”

Avv. Andrea Di Pietro : Confermato il diritto di Ossigeno di costituirsi parte civile

Marilù Mastrogiovanni: “Ossigeno saved my life and now it is by my side in court”

Marilù Mastrogiovanni: Ossigeno mi ha salvato la vita e ora e al mio fianco in tribunale

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