Iran’s imprisonment of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian for espionage is a farce, the sort of thing that the West has come to expect from Tehran in the corrupt theocracy’s perpetual quest for leverage.

But, unfortunately, persecution of journalists is not confined to the Middle East.

The Vatican has decided to prosecute two Italian journalists, Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, for their books on mismanagement of Vatican finances, internal resistance to Pope Francis’s reforms and other disclosures.

Since the reporters are Italian and the Vatican is a separate state within Italy, the reporters easily could have evaded arrest simply by staying outside the Vatican’s territory. They responded to the arrest summons to further expose Vatican corruption, even though each could face up to eight years in prison. The Vaticans’ conduct has been condemned by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Also facing trial are a Spanish monsignor and two Vatican staffers who allegedly leaked information to reporters. The case was supposed to begin Monday but was delayed to Dec. 7.

At Pope Francis’ insistence, the Vatican updated its penal code in 2013 to outlaw and punish sex crimes against children. But the process created the ability to prosecute journalists who reveal information about the Vatican.

The pope, who has advocated greater openness and accountability, should intervene personally if he must to preclude the further embarrassment of the church that will result from the prosecution of journalists.