Protest against investigation into Vatileaks authors

The two authors under investigation, Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi

 

  ROME - The journalists’ union is protesting against the investigation of the two journalists at the centre of the most recent Vatileaks scandal. 

 

  The two authors, Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi are charged with the dissemination of confidential documents in their books, which both expose financial malpractice at the top of the Catholic Church. 

 

  Two moles, Monsignor Luis Angel Vallejo Balda, a Spanish priest and member of Opus Dei, and the glamorous PR consultant Francesca Immaccolata Chaouqui, were arrested last week for allegedly leaking confidential church documents to the authors. 

 

  As noted by Fittipaldi in an interview with Il Giornale Radio Rai, in Italy there is Article 21 of the Constitution, which states the following: 

  All have the right to express freely their own thought by word, in writing and by all other means of communication.

  The press cannot be subjected to authorisation or censorship.

  Seizure is permitted only by a detailed warrant from the judicial authority in the case of offences for which the law governing the press expressly authorises, or in the case of violation of the provisions prescribed by law for the disclosure of the responsible parties.

  In such cases, when there is absolute urgency and when the timely intervention of the judicial authority is not possible, periodical publications may be seized by officers of the criminal police, who must immediately, and never after more than twenty-four hours, report the matter to the judicial authority. If the latter does not ratify the act in the twenty-four hours following, the seizure is understood to be withdrawn and null and void.

  The law may establish, by means of general provisions, that the financial sources of the periodical press be disclosed.

  Printed publications, shows and other displays contrary to morality are forbidden. The law establishes appropriate means for preventing and suppressing all violations.

  

  This has been the catalyst for the upcoming protest.