Vatican State should not “intimidate” journalists, Italian evangelicals say, Evangelical Focus (December 14, 2015)

Vatican State should not “intimidate” journalists, Italian evangelicals say

Evangelical Focus
December 14, 2015

http://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/1236/Vatican_State_should_not_intimidate_journalists_Italian_evangelicals_say

arriving to the court in Vatican City, on 24 November.

Journalists Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianlugi Nuzzi are on trial in the State of Vatican City after publishing books which informed about corruption scandals.

The Italian Evangelical Alliance (AEI) “joins the appeal” made by several entities (among them, the International Press Institute) which “cannot tolerate the interference of a foreign state violating important principles of freedom of press and the limits of its jurisdiction.”

In a statement, the AEI supported the right of journalists Emiliano Fittipaldi (author of the book Avaritia) and Gianluigi Nuzzi (author of Via Crucis) to inform about scandals affecting the Vatican.

On November 24, the State of Vatican City put on trial two journalists for reporting on the financial scandals of the Holy See in their publications, which were printed in Italy.

“The Vatican does not deny the veracity of the documents published, but accuses the two journalists of making them public by concealing their ‘secrecy’”, the AEI says.

“FREEDOM OF PRESS IS GUARANTEED BY THE ITALIAN CONSTITUTION”

“On trial there are not just two journalists, but also citizens of the Italian Republic. On trial is the right (in fact, the professional duty) of the journalist to disclose news of which he/she is aware.”

The texts defends “the freedom of press, guaranteed by the Italian Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.”

The State of Vatican City should not “put on trial freedom of thought, communication and critical thinking. Not surprisingly – the AEI argues - these fundamental human rights are not recognised by the Vatican's absolute monarchy, which in fact has never signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights nor the EU Charter.”

The Italian government should “react publicly, defending the two journalist and denouncing the violent intimidation” which tries to “dissuade other journalists from investigating”, the text concludes.