BAD NEWS | 10 March 2018

This newsletter presents the last news originally published by Ossigeno per l’Informazione about attacks and violations of freedom of the expression and the media in Italy as well as in other countries. Also included are initiatives to tackle the issue with a review from international organisations in the field of freedom of expression

What should Europe do if 2 journalists are killed in 4 months?
A system that monitors threats and violations of freedom of expression could prevent such serious crimes, as it already does in Italy. We reflect upon the death of Daphne Caruana Galizia and Jan Kuciak and how they would have been safely protected in Italy.

Jan Kuciak. Mistery surrounding the warnings from Italy
Why did the chief of the Slovakian police deny that warnings had been received from Italian judges concerning the ‘Ndrangheta structures ? The article reports on the relationship between the Italian and the Slovakian law enforcement authorities and exchange of information that could have likely saved the journalist’s life

Italy. Hundreds of S.O.S nobody replied to
A growing number of attacks, superior to the number that can be accurately observed, have been reported to Ossigeno since January. The Observatory decided to forward them to other organisations asking for help

Mafia and information. In Italy serious attacks, many protests, little solidarity
Ossigeno provided an update to the extensive research commissioned by the Italian Anti-Mafia Commission. The first results of the research were presented to the Commission in 2015.

Mafia and information. Mp Rosi Bindi, bosses can’t stand reporters
Mp Rosi Bindi, President of the Parliamentary Anti-Mafia Commission, presented the final report during a conference held on 22 February 2018. Ossigeno had contributed with a research about the relationship between mafia and information.

Mafia and information. Another aggression recalls that in Ostia
The commentary focuses on the attack to RAI journalist Maria Grazia Mazzola in February. It considers that the aggravating factor of the Mafia method was challenged to the man who hit Piervincenzi because he intended to intimidate all journalists who have the audacity to ask questions.

Transparency. Ossigeno proposes the right of access to judicial acts for journalists
To all those not covered by the confidentiality of sources. And it is necessary to recognize their judicial status in order to save them from thousands of vexatious lawsuits.

In Italy more journalists are giving up their safety to make questions
The number of assaults is growing also due to the greater resistance of reporters to the gag of self-censorship, the director of Ossigeno said in an interview with press agency ADNkronos

Why in Italy the FOIA is a disappointment for journalism
More benefits for citizens but the right of journalists to publish data without the consent of the interested parties seems at risk. A short essay by lawyer Andrea Di Pietro, coordinator of Ossigeno’s legal defense activity

Right to be forgotten. News have also historical importance, judge holds
This principle coming from the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights was recalled by lawyer Andrea Di Pietro in the defense of Raffaella Fanelli. The investigative judge in Milan dismissed defamation charges against the journalist.

Italy. Prison for libel. Thousands of journalists at risk
They are those with a suspended sentence on condition that they do not suffer another one. The “chilling effect” that weighs above all on editors-in-chief

The Ossigeno Panel of Memory donated to city council and school of Arcevia
The ceremony took place on Saturday, February 17, 2018. Students will reconstruct the stories of journalists killed because of their work.

This newsletter has been relased with the contribution of Ilaria Fevola

For comments or inquiries please email us at ossigeno.informazione@gmail.com