Italy: Imprisoned Mafia Boss Sues Journalists Sandra Amurri and Massimo Giletti For Defamation
Defamation lawsuit follows multiple death threats by crime boss’ brother directed at TV host
Location: Italy, Terni
Date: August 4, 2023
A mafia boss serving multiple life sentences has filed a defamation lawsuit against two well-known Italian journalists. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled that the prosecutor's office is investigating an undisclosed defamation complaint against journalists filed by a dangerous criminal. This case must be dropped immediately.
Italian journalist Sandra Amurri and TV host Massimo Giletti are under investigation for defamation by the Terni prosecutor's office after mafia boss Giuseppe Graviano filed a lawsuit against the journalists. Graviano, a Cosa Nostra boss, is serving multiple life sentences for his involvement in various massacres and crimes.
Police notified Amurri and Giletti about the lawsuit and registered them as suspects. The prosecutors of Terni have denied the journalists access to the case file.
“Someone serving a life sentence can file a lawsuit,” Giletti says, “but I find it hard to accept why we have been denied access to the documents.”
The lawsuit is thought to be connected to an episode of the TV show Non è l'Arena, where host Giletti interviewed a member of the Graviano brothers' mafia, Salvatore Baiardo. The popular TV show on La7 was abruptly discontinued in April 2023.
The journalists believe the defamation suit may be a warning. The Italian mafia is notorious for targeting investigative journalists, resorting to violence and legal harassment to silence unfavorable reporting. Graviano’s brother has previously sent death threats to the TV host.
Amurri and Giletti deny any wrongdoing and express their frustration at not knowing the reasons behind the lawsuit.
“I would like to understand what the motivation of the lawsuit is,” Giletti says, adding he has faith in the justice system but worries since the brother of the crime boss has wished him death on more than one occasion.
Amurri, who served as the Non è l'Arena’s commentator, emphasized she has been dealing with defamation complaints for years and does not believe she has defamed anyone. The journalists are determined to fight for their innocence and seek justice. Amurri and Giletti hope to have an opportunity to discuss the situation with the prosecutor and clear their names.
Legal Harassment of Italian Journalists
The Italian criminal code includes provisions that could lead to imprisonment for up to three years for defamatory acts committed through the press. Despite a 2020 ruling by the Constitutional Court calling for the government to abolish laws that allow journalists to be jailed for defamation, the Italian parliament has failed to take action.
In 2023, CFWIJ documented several cases where politicians and wealthy business owners targeted women journalists with baseless and worrying libel cases or legal threats.
Award-winning journalist Sara Manisera is currently facing a criminal defamation lawsuit filed by the Municipality of Abbiategrasso for comments she made at an awards ceremony in 2022. Local and European journalist organizations have condemned this lawsuit as a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) intended to intimidate the journalist.
With organized criminals attacking journalists through legal harassment to silence them and Giuseppe Graviano being well-known for targeting journalists, it is extremely worrying that the prosecutor’s office has decided to take the complaint seriously. Even more so, it is alarming that the prosecutor has denied the journalists access to the investigation. It appears clear in this case that criminal defamation is being used to intimidate the journalists, one of whom has previously received death threats because of reporting on the crime boss. The Coalition For Women In Journalism calls on the Terni prosecutor’s office to immediately drop this case, clarify its reasons for launching the investigation, and open the case materials to those requesting them.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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