2024-04-12 13:27:41
(ANSA) – ROME, APRIL 11 – The journalist risks prison for up to 4 and a half years. This is the effect of one of the amendments presented by the rapporteur Gianni Berrino to the bill on defamation. A new article is effectively introduced: 13-bis of the press law. “Whoever, with repeated and coordinated conduct, designed to cause serious damage to the reputation of others, attributes to someone through the press “facts” which he knows to be even partially false is punished with prison from 1 to 3 years and with the fine from 50 thousand to 120 thousand euros. If it is known that the offended party is innocent, the penalty increases from a third to a half, i.e. up to 4 and a half years of prison. The alarm was raised after reading the amendment proposals filed by the senator of FdI, is the group leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate Justice Commission Alfredo Bazoli. “Freedom of the press is at serious risk”, explains the senator. Berrino replies: “we remove prison sentences for general defamation, we keep them for defamation which takes place with the accusation of a precise and false fact”. But it is plemic. Alessandra Costante, general secretary of the Fnsi, intervenes immediately. “Prison for journalists – she states – is an uncivilized measure and denotes the fear of this government in regarding freedom of the press. This is the orbanisation of the country”. The opposition attacks, but criticism is also raised by the majority. Maurizio Lupi of Noi Moderati says “no to prison for journalists”. The group leader of FI in the Justice Commission Pierantonio Zanettin states: “There there may be other legal mechanisms, and we are aiming for this, but we have doubts about prison”. (ANSA).
2024-04-12 13:27:41