Two journalists and three others implicated in the latest Vatican leaks scandal have gone on trial. All defendants face up to eight years in prison
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Two journalists and three others implicated in the latest Vatican leaks scandal have gone on trial.
All defendants face up to eight years in prison for allegedly disclosing and publishing confidential documents.
One of the journalists, Emiliano Fittipaldi, claims the charges against him are too vague to understand. An appeal for the charges against Fittipaldi to be dropped was dismissed.
The other journalist, Gianluigi Nuzzi, labelled the process “Kafkaesque and absurd,” adding:
“We are on trial in a country where there isn’t any law on freedom of the press and information. Many lawyers are raising this issue at a national and international level to protect the right of the press and information. This is a right and a duty.”
Nuzzi played a key role in breaking the first Vatileaks story, three years ago. It centred on information on Vatican in-fighting supplied by Pope Benedict 16th’s butler, which plunged the Holy See into crisis. Some believe this also contributed to the Pope’s decision to retire.
The case has been adjourned until Monday (November 30).