Silvio phone tap bill provokes media furore

Source: AKI

Silvio phone tap bill provokes media furore
Jun 12th, 2010 -- Rome

Italian media on Friday reacted angrily to the passage of a law curbing police wiretaps and new fines for media companies which publish transcripts.

The law, which was passed by the Italian Senate on Thursday, is opposed not only by most major newspapers and other media but also by magistrates who say it will hamper their efforts to fight organised crime and corruption. The left-leaning La Repubblica ran a blank front page containing a tiny message that said: “The gag law denies citizens the right to be informed”. “We are running a blank front page to tell readers ... that democracy has been short-circuited,” La Repubblica said in an editorial by its editor, Ezio Mauro. Le Repubblica, which has often been sued by Mr Berlusconi over its coverage of scandals, has been running a campaign in recent weeks opposing the law with notes saying “under the gag law you wouldn’t be able to read this article”. National daily, Corriere della Sera called it “a dark day” for justice while L’Unita, paper of the largest Opposition party, ran its headline with typeface used when Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini ran Italy.

Mr Silvio Berlusconi said the new rules were needed to protect privacy, but the Opposition has accused the government of disguising corruption with a law that will shield the Premier from prosecution. The bill will make it harder for investigators to obtain authorisation for wiretaps and authorises stiff fines on newspaper publishers and journalists who publish wiretaps before investigations reach trial. The Italian journalists union has called it a “gag” measure and announced a full-scale news blackout on July 9 when the bill is expected to complete its final reading in the Lower House.


Read more: http://www.asianage.com/international/silvio-phone-tap-bill-provokes-media-furore-327

Berlusconi wins vote on wiretaps
By Guy Dinmore in Rome

Published: June 11 2010 01:52 | Last updated: June 11 2010 01:52

Amid stormy scenes in Italy’s senate, Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right government on Thursday rammed through a bill that would restrict the use of police wiretaps and punish editors and journalists who run transcripts. The bill was passed in the senate on a vote of confidence that cut short debate on amendments. The text, which the prime minister says will not be modified, moves next week to the lower house where the ruling coalition has a large majority.

Senators belonging to the main opposition Democratic party walked out, refusing to vote, and members of the small Italy of Values party had to be evicted after occupying government benches. Anna Finocchiaro, senate leader for the Democrats, called the bill a “massacre for liberty” and denounced the government for hiding what she called its private use of public money while treating the public as a “blind flock of sheep”.

The government says the law is needed to protect privacy. Last month the leaking of intercepts linked to an investigation into suspected corruption in the awarding of state contracts led to the resignation of Claudio Scajola, industries minister. He denied wrongdoing.

Mr Berlusconi too has had his private conversations splashed over the newspapers, most recently when he was overheard by investigating magistrates urging an official of Rai, the state broadcaster, to stop broadcasts of programmes attacking his government.

More:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/13cbb22c-74b5-11df-aed7-00144feabdc0.html

Now if only we could get rid of the Patriot Act in the United States...

Because locking the media out of corruption investigations and making it harder for police to get wiretaps approved in corruption investigations is good for everyone, right?

Unlike in the total, unchecked surveillance state we have become. Wiretaps with warrants are pretty useful for fighting organized crime. My guess is this law is intended to protect the Mafia and corrupt politicians.

Interesting how their press is actually putting up a strong fight, even with Berlusconi's dominance as a media baron. Our apple-polisher press would run a few tepid editorials when the law went through, then act like it never happened.

He created the bill and his party is the one who introduced it.

He's trying to subvert the law against the corruption investigations going on with him as the prime target.