Vatileaks 2 trial opens
Magdalena Sleziak
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24 November 2015
Nuzzi and Fitipaldi
Vatican City – The trail of two Italian journalists and three alleged informants from the Vatican accused for allegedly leaking of confidential information opened in a Holy See court on Tuesday amid growing international protests.
The two italian journalists are Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, who published books disclosing secret activities in Vatican City. Alleged informants from the Vatican, who also went on the trial today are Monsignor Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, his assistant Nicola Maio and PR expert Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, who were supposed to advise Pope Francis on economic-administrative reform of the Holy See. Monsignor Vallejo Balda, who is still locked up in the cell of Vatican, appeared in the court this morning, where he met his court-appointed lawyer Emanuela Bellardini.
The Vatican has been criticised by many organisations including Reporters Without Borders and the OSCE for putting journalists on the trial. According to the organizations, decision made by the Vatican is against to freedom of the press.
The Board of Foreign Press Association in Italy expressed a "deep concern' about the trial. "We need to remember about various declarations contained in the human rights. European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms' include not only the 'Freedom of Religion', often mentioned by the Catholic Church and the Vatican but also the 'Freedom of expression," they said. "This right includes freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers', it said in a statement released this morning before the start the process in the Vatican”, the association added.
"Because of the trial of the two journalists, the Vatican acts contrary to Europe and its law," said constitutionalist Gaetano Azzariti in an interview with Republicca, which criticizes the decision to indict Fittipaldi and Nuzzi.
Nuzzi who spoke today to the trail reporters that the freedom of press is worth of defending. "You can criticize, appreciate or blame it, but protecting freedom of information is more important."
During the first hearing, the Vatican court decided to reject a defence motion to dismiss the case against Fittipaldi. According to the journalist, he can not even defend himself, because the indictment does not contain the least description of the charges against him. The court could not explain what leaked documents he is allegedly supposed to have used in his recently published book.
The first hearing was reserved only for the preliminary issues of the case. The next one is scheduled for Monday Nov. 30 at 9:30 am.