Vito Crimi: the government commits to protect reporters

The Undersecretary for the publishing sector presented the government’s measures for free, plural and independent journalism.

“The government is committed to protecting the journalism profession with a series of legislative initiatives aimed at overcoming job insecurity in journalism, protecting sources and professional secrecy and protecting journalists from the pressures and threats of intimidation”. Vito Crimi, Undersecretary of State with responsibility for publishing, announced made this commitment this morning in the Italian Senate on the occasion of the conference ‘Journalists attacked, guilty unpunished’, organized by Ossigeno per l’Informazione under the patronage of UNESCO. After recalling the recent killing of journalists in the world, such as that of Daphne Caruana Galicia and Jamal bin Ahmad Khashoggi, the Undersecretary underlined the need to strengthen the “societal” rôle of journalism in Italy. Crimi referred to the bill presented by Senator Primo Di Nicola which provides, in the case of reckless complaints, compensation up to half the amount requested by the plaintiff. It is also necessary to “activate tools to counter the conflict of economic and financial interests of publishers. Finally, more education for young people for information, pluralist and freely accessible to the profession, independent of politics “.

RED