Legal fees. Verna holds onto Odg Tuscany-Ossigeno agreement

It foresees legal assistance for a journalist sued spuriously and whose legal expenses are not covered by his publisher. Carlo Bartoli: it is a strategic battle

FLORENCE, 15 DEC. 2017 – The Order of Journalists of Tuscany moves battle against the rash lawsuits pledging to support the Association Ossigeno per l’Informazione, which deals with the defense of 13 journalists, taking on the expenses of a case still being sentenced in the first degree.

The reckless complaints, but also the claims for compensation in civil proceedings, are unfounded actions taken, as was explained during a press conference by the national president of the OdG, Carlo Verna, “by those who wants to stop the work of journalists, especially freelancers and bloggers, who can not bear the costs of a lawsuit and are forced to retract or not to write at all”.

“It is a very important theme for democracy in this country – Verna said – and it will be a major focus of the council. We have to obtain concrete results, because almost 90% of the lawsuit actions are then archived, which means that on the other hand, such spurious charges are levied simply to quell the action of a journalist.”

Among the regional orders of journalists, Tuscany’s is the first to support Ossigeno’s initiative, pledging a commitment to a case in the first degree of judgment.

“A small act – the regional president, Carlo Bartoli, said – but it also wants to be a declaration of availability because we are convinced that if everyone does their part we will all be stronger in defending a piece of freedom of information.”

“In Tuscany every year – Alberto Spampinato, director of Ossigeno per l’Informazione, added – there are about 338 complaints and of these about 9 out of 10 end up with the acquittal of journalists, after 4 or 6 years of trial. We must change the law, which is a rogue law, but in the meantime we must help those affected by this unacceptable blackmail. I thank the Order of Tuscany for giving us this year the possibility to defend one more journalist”. (ANSA)

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