Law prohibiting use of wiretaps before trial leads to Italian journalists’ strike

Posted by Mica Swyers on June 26, 2007 at 9:42 AM

Journalists in Italy are on strike to protest a draft law that would prohibit the use of court documents before a trial. La Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana (FNSI) called for the strike on Saturday, calling the proposed law an attack on journalists’ freedom to report on court cases

The law would make it illegal for journalists to report using court documents, including wiretapped conversations and transcripts, before a case came to trial. In addition, journalists found to be using the prohibited documents would incur heavy fines of tens of thousands of euros. The draft has already passed preliminary readings by the left- and right-wing deputies in Italy’s lower parliamentary chamber.

Journalists consider this draft law an infringement on their right to report on court cases. Newspaper coverage of court cases frequently includes reprinting transcripts of wiretapped conversations, which is often embarrassing for those implicated in the case.

The FNSI-led strike is expected to affect Saturday’s radio and television channels as well as production for newspapers’ Sunday editions.

Source: Agence France Presse

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