Introduction
Episodes of antisemitism in Rome
In November, there were two anti-Semitic incidents in the city of Rome. Firstly, on 2nd November 2023, paving stones commemorating the Holocaust, which had been placed in front of the former homes of Jews deported or murdered in concentration camps, were vandalised. A few days later, on 10th November, graffiti with anti-Semitic messages appeared in the Jewish quarter and in Trastevere in the Italian capital. The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, condemned the incident in the strongest possible terms and declared that the graffiti would be removed immediately.
Italian top court rules that fascist salute is not always a crime
The Italian Court of Cassation has ruled that the display of the fascist salute is not always a criminal offence and may be permitted at rallies or commemorative events. Rather, it is a criminal offence if there is a concrete danger of a resurgence of the fascist movement, which is prohibited under the Italian constitution, and if the gathering poses a threat to security.
This decision came after shocking events in early January, when hundreds of people gathered in Rome, saluting and shouting fascist slogans to mark the anniversary of the deaths of three members of the youth wing of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI), which later merged into Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party.
Meloni condemned the incident and declared that there was no place for fascist nostalgia in her party and called for neo-fascist groups to be banned. The judgement could lead to previous sentences against neo-fascist activists who have shown the fascist salute being reassessed. With its judgement, the Court of Cassation ordered a second appeal procedure for eight militant neo-fascists who had shown the salute at a commemorative event in Milan in 2016 to mark the anniversary of the murder of a fellow militant in the city in 1975.
Leaders of neo-fascist groups jailed over role in violent protests
The leader of Forza Nuova, Roberto Fiore, and the former leader Giuliano Castellino were sentenced to more than eight years in prison on 20th December. The sentence relates to the violent riots in Rome in October 2021 in response to measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. On this occasion, the offices of the left-wing national trade union CGIL were attacked and looted. The two neo-fascist leaders are currently not in custody and are awaiting the verdict of an automatic appeal hearing, which exists under Italian criminal law.
Freedom of expression
“Gag law” passed in the Lower Chamber of Italian Parliament
On 19th December, the lower chamber of the Italian Parliament passed an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure banning the media from publishing pre-trial detention orders until the end of the preliminary hearing. The amendment, proposed by MP Enrico Costa of the opposition liberal party Azione, has been labelled the “Gag Law” due to its potential impact on freedom of expression. Reporters Without Borders urged the Italian government to halt the amendment, warning it could seriously endanger journalists, who would face heightened risks of defamation proceedings if they are unable to quote from detention orders. While the amendment aims to uphold the presumption of innocence and prevent “media trials,” several journalist associations have expressed strong opposition to the proposed bill.
Draft bill on defamation abolishes incarceration for journalists but introduces other heavy sanctions
On 16th January, a bill proposing amendments to the 1948 law on defamation through the press was officially presented to the Italian Senate after deliberation in the Senate's Justice Committee in the autumn. While this bill removes prison sentences for journalists, as recommended by the Constitutional Court and international bodies, it introduces penalties of up to €50,000, mandates automatic correction of defamatory articles or statements without input from editors or journalists, and enables “forum shopping” by allowing plaintiffs to choose the court location. Opposition parties, journalist unions and press freedom groups criticised the proposed amendments, arguing that while the abolition of prison sentences is a positive step, the new sanctions would unduly restrict freedom of expression and place excessive pressure on journalists.
Political figures intimidate, discredit journalists
High-level political figures have increasingly been accused of intimidating and publicly attacking journalists.
On 23rd January, Alan Fabbri, mayor of Ferrara, filed a lawsuit against journalist Marco Zavagli over an editorial from March 2020 in which Zavagli suggested that Fabbri may have used public funds for propaganda purposes.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticised the newspaper Repubblica in a TV interview for questioning the planned privatisation of certain housing properties, stating she would not accept “lessons in Italian-ness” from foreign-owned publications, alluding to the paper’s publisher, GEDI Gruppo Editoriale, moving their headquarters abroad.
On 14th January, Vittorio Sgarbi, Undersecretary of Culture, sent a legal warning to investigative journalism programme Report aiming to discourage the programme from broadcasting a piece on his involvement in an art theft case. Between 26th and 30th October 2023, he also publicly discredited and threatened legal action against newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano and reporter Thomas Mackinson for publishing an article concerning potential misconduct and conflict of interest between his public role and private activities. An investigation into the case was opened by Italian authorities.
On 4th January, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, announced that he and his partner, Francesca Verdini, would pursue legal action against multiple journalists over alleged defamation. The Minister referred to several articles published by different journalists concerning a corruption scandal that involved the brother and father of Verdini and their role in Anas, a public entity managing road infrastructure. Matteo Salvini is not involved in the corruption case.
On 12th December, Claudio Durigon, the Undersecretary of Labour and member of right-wing party Lega, threatened newspaper Domani with a defamation lawsuit unless articles concerning a potential conflict of interest by Durigon were removed from Domani's website.
On 5th December, the lawyer of Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano sent a letter announcing legal action against RAI Radio 1 programme “Un giorno da pecora” for satirical comments about Sangiuliano’s qualifications.
On 8th October, President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, announced his intention to pursue defamation proceedings against the TV programme Report for airing an investigation about the possible connections between La Russa's family and organised crime. The editors of the television programme had sent La Russa questions to give him the opportunity to comment on their findings, but he refused to answer. This investigation by Report, as well as a subsequent episode revolving around an interview with an informant who alleged a relationship between PM Giorgia Meloni's father and mafia boss Michele Senese, prompted several MPs from Meloni's party Brothers of Italy to pressure RAI president Marinella Soldi and CEO Roberto Sergio to act against the programme.
Student representative suspended over political declarations
On 18th January, 18-year-old high school student Damiano Cassanelli was suspended for 12 days for giving an interview during a student protest, in which he criticised school management for allegedly violating regulations. Cassanelli’s lawyer contested the suspension, arguing that it infringed upon his freedom of expression and political role as a student representative.
Journalist Roberto Saviano fined for defamation of Giorgia Meloni
Following the defamation lawsuit filed by Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni against investigative journalist Roberto Saviano – mentioned in previous CIVICUS reports – a Rome court has ruled that the journalist will have to pay a fine of 1,000 EUR. The lawsuit relates to comments made by Saviano in December 2020 during a TV interview in which he criticised Meloni’s stance on migration and called her a "bastard." Saviano’s lawyer announced an appeal, contending that the ruling threatens freedom of expression and serves as a warning to journalists critical of the government.
Parliamentary Committee summons Report's director
On 25th October, Sigfrido Ranucci, deputy director of public broadcaster RAI's In-Depth Broadcast Directorate and presenter of the investigative TV programme Report, was summoned by the Parliamentary Committee overseeing radio and TV broadcasting. While the official purpose was to discuss RAI’s criteria for investigative programming, the meeting reportedly focused solely on Ranucci’s work with Report, which he staunchly defended as independent.
Journalists targeted by mafia
Journalists continue to face threats from mafia figures. On 16th January, Salvatore Langellotto, a convicted member of the Camorra, discredited journalist Vincenzo Iurillo during an interview for the programme Le Iene. On 15th January, journalist José Trovato was sued for defamation by the sons of mafia leader Raffaele Bevilacqua over Trovato’s investigative reporting on mafia issues.
Attacks on journalists while on assignment
Journalists in Italy frequently face physical and verbal harassment while working.
Two photojournalists from La Nazione, Riccardo Germogli and his son Tommaso Germogli, were physically attacked and threatened on 12th January while reporting on the death of a man in Florence, allegedly linked to a serial killer. The perpetrators of the attacks were the family members of the deceased.
On 16th November, a photojournalist of the Genova 24 news outlet was obstructed in his work by employees of the Italian national railway company. The journalist was reporting on massive delays at the Genoa train station.
On 13th November, reporter Mary Padula was prohibited from filming during a city council meeting in Scanzano Jonico in the province of Matera, despite the meeting being public and not concerning any sensitive issues or confidential information.
On 18th October, Journalist Cristina Autore was verbally attacked by a man while she was reporting in front of the Colosseum in Rome about the introduction of a new type of ticket for visitors to the site.
On 7th October, journalist Martina Mazzaro was attacked while reporting on the degradation of the nearby Verdi car park. After conducting several interviews, she saw people injecting drugs and noticed syringes on the ground in close proximity to families with young children spending the day in the park. When Mazzaro noticed the people, she immediately told them, 'I didn't record anything, don't worry about it." However, one of the individuals started chasing her, picked up a glass bottle and threw it at the journalist. Mazzaro was hit by shards of glass.
Ukraine asks Italy to ban pro-Russia events scheduled in the country
The Ukrainian embassy in Rome pressured Italian authorities to ban events organised in the country that are thought to be spreading pro-Russian propaganda. These events included a conference featuring the far-right Kremlin ideologue Alexander Dugin and an event scheduled to be held on 20th January in Modena, which is focused on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is described as the “symbolic city of the popular uprising in the Donbass against Kyiv” and allegedly belongs to the territory of the Russian Federation.
The Ukrainian embassy declared that they consider the events a direct provocation and urged for the event to be cancelled. The mayor of Modena, Gian Carlo Muzzarelli, revoked the permission previously granted to the organisers to use the municipal premises. The association that organised the conference condemned the decision and denounced the violation of constitutional values, especially freedom of expression.
Another controversial event was planned for January in Lucca (Tuscany), in which Dugin was also to take part. The organiser of the conference is the militant right-wing extremist Lorenzo Berti, a former member of the neo-fascist group Casa Pound, who considers any criticism of the event to be absurd, as he emphasises that it is about geopolitics and not an apology for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Italy has been criticised for giving controversial personalities linked to Putin's Russia space on TV channels and at several public events, which led to an investigation by a parliamentary committee in 2022.
Bill to "Preserve Nativity" in Schools Threatens Secularism
On 20th December, the Brothers of Italy party proposed a bill to promote Italy’s “Christian roots” in schools. The bill responds to news that some schools had chosen to omit or modify nativity displays to be more inclusive of other religious traditions. The opposition accused the party of exploiting religion to further anti-immigrant narratives, portraying immigrants as a threat to Italian culture. Italy’s constitution establishes the country as secular, with Article 7 affirming a clear separation between the Catholic Church and the state.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Law against “eco-vandals” targets climate activists
The Italian Parliament approved the so-called “eco-vandals” law in January 2024. According to Italy's far-right government, which proposed the law, its purpose is to protect artistic heritage from vandalism and damage during public demonstrations. This is achieved through strict sanctions, including up to five years’ imprisonment and fines of up to €60,000. Culture Minister Sangiuliano congratulated supporters of the law on the victory, referring to it as a “battle for civilisation.”
However, opposition members argue that the law was introduced specifically to intimidate environmental groups, such as Extinction Rebellion and Last Generation, who have used tactics like spraying washable paint on monuments or colouring water in fountains and canals. Laura Boldrini, a member of the centre-left PD party, remarked that this law is "personalistic" and noted that existing legislation already protects cultural heritage. She argued that increasing sanctions is a political move targeting environmental activism. Boldrini also drew parallels to other recent government efforts to criminalise groups, such as NGOs involved in sea rescues, which are becoming more common under Meloni's administration.
Transport Minister obstructs right to strike
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has taken steps over the winter to curtail the right to strike for Italian workers. He issued injunctions twice to limit the duration of strikes planned by public transport workers on 27th November and 15th December, reducing them from 24 hours to four hours. In response to the restriction, the first strike was postponed to December, but Salvini imposed the same limitation again. Salvini has stated that while he supports the right to strike, it must not come at the expense of the general public's freedom of movement. Maurizio Landini, head of the CGIL trade union, condemned the government’s interference, calling it "unacceptable."
Extinction Rebellion’s Civil Disobedience in Venice Draws Political Criticism
The Extinction Rebellion environmental movement has conducted actions in Venice and across Italy to raise awareness about what they view as the failure of international climate talks, including those held at COP28 in Dubai. On 7th December, a group of activists sprayed mud on the facade of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice using fire extinguishers. Venice’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, condemned the act, accusing the protesters of disrespecting both the law and cultural heritage. On 9th December, the same group poured a fluorescent, harmless substance into Venice’s canals and other waterways across the country, including in Milan, Turin, and Rome. Culture Minister Sangiuliano commented on the incident, emphasising the necessity of the “eco-vandals” law to punish such acts.
Protests erupt following Giulia Cecchettin femicide
Mass protests broke out across Italy in November 2023 following the femicide of Giulia Cecchettin, who was killed by her boyfriend. In interviews, Giulia's sister, Elena Cecchettin, condemned toxic masculinity and the patriarchal culture that, she argued, victimises women. Tens of thousands marched in Rome on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, spurred by outrage over Giulia’s murder. By 12th November, official figures recorded 102 female homicide victims in Italy in 2023, with 82 killed by family members or current or former partners, underscoring Italy’s grave problem with male violence against women. Thousands also attended Giulia’s funeral at the beginning of December.