Last month, a prominent author accused After reading the anti-fascist monologue RAI suddenly canceled the censorship “for editorial reasons”. The monologue was scheduled to be broadcast on RAI 3 TV channel on April 25, the public holiday that celebrates Italy’s independence from fascism in 1945.
Usigrai, the broadcaster’s leading journalists’ union, said in a statement. monday: “We strike to protect the autonomy and independence of the public radio and television service from blanket control of information spaces by politicians.”
The broadcaster countered that it is “committed to defending the values of pluralism and freedom of expression.”
The Meloni government, which declined to comment for this story, has been accused of strategically using defamation lawsuits to silence media dissent, including complaints against the newspaper Domani and journalist Roberto Saviano.
Meloni’s brother-in-law and cabinet minister Francesco Lollobrigida filed a criminal complaint against a TV commentator on La7, an independent channel, for saying that Lollobrigida had talked “like one”. Gauleiter,” referring to regional leaders of Adolf Hitler’s party.
In Italy, defamation can be considered a crime punishable by up to six years in prison. The Constitutional Court has ordered reform of defamation law to end the criminalization of journalists – but Meloni’s government has postponed parliamentary debate on that bill.
Italy Recently dropped five places to 46th position World Press Freedom Index By Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
rsf report “Giorgia Meloni’s Italy” is cited as an example of political groups that are “planning a takeover of the media ecosystem … where a member of the ruling parliamentary coalition acquires the second largest news agency (AGI)”. Trying to do.”