Italian media protests over Silvio Berlusconi 'gagging law'

Silvio Berlusconi has moved to outlaw wiretaps, but this would hinder many high-profile criminal investigations.

Photograph: Tony Gentile/Reuters

Critics claim PM Silvio Berlusconi is merely protecting himself by imposing curbs on the publishing of wiretap transcripts

Tom Kington in Rome

The Guardian, Saturday 12 June 2010

Article history

Italian newspapers and opposition politicians protested today after the senate approved a bill limiting police wiretaps and punishing journalists who publish leaked transcripts.

As journalists threatened a news blackout to coincide with the bill's final reading in the lower house of the Italian parliament, the daily La Repubblica ran an empty front page with the message: "The gagging law denies citizens the right to be informed."

The Turin daily La Stampa also blanked out a front-page column, while Corriere della Sera called the bill a "dark page for lawmaking". Sky Italia aired a black banner of protest above its newsreaders.

The government measure, approved thanks to a confidence vote ordered by Silvio Berlusconi's government, would make it harder for police to get permission to wiretap suspects, limit the duration of the eavesdropping and fine publishers up to €450,000 for leaking transcripts of the wiretaps before cases reach trial, which can take years in Italy. On becoming law, the measure would be applied to ongoing trials.

Government officials argue that the police rely too heavily on wiretaps, and that transcripts featuring people unconnected to investigations often find their way into newspapers.

Maurizio Gasparri, Berlusconi's senate whip, said the measure would put an end to "trial by media".

Critics of the bill claim Berlusconi is merely protecting himself and his allies from being overheard. Details of the prime minister's calls to a state TV official urging him to give roles to his female acquaintances have been published.

Italy's union of newpaper editors said in a statement that the bill "does not attain the declared objective of protecting privacy, but has the simple effect of intimidating the press."

Magistrates have protested that their pursuit of organised crime would also be limited by the measure.

The opposition Italy of Values party said it could publish leaked transcripts on a party website to be based in Belgium, or simply read out the transcripts in parliament.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/12/italy-media-gagging-law-wiretaps-silvio-berlusconi