Intercettazioni, interviene l'Onu "Legge da abolire o modificare"
Mar, 13/07/2010 - 15:02
Le Nazioni Unite chiedono al governo di intervenire sul ddl perché "può minare il diritto alla libertà di espressione" e annunciano missione nel 2011 per verificare situazione.
GINEVRA - Anche l'Onu boccia la legge-bavaglio: non solo chiede al governo di "sopprimere o rivedere" il discusso ddl intercettazioni, ma annuncia una missione in Italia, nel 2011, per esaminare la situazione della libertà di stampa e il diritto alla libertà di espressione. A lanciare l'allarme è il relatore speciale sulla libertà di espressione delle Nazioni Unite, Frank La Rue, che in un comunicato chiede al governo italiano di "abolire o modificare" il disegno di legge sulle intercettazioni perché "se adottato nella sua forma attuale può minare il godimento del diritto alla libertà di espressione in Italia".
La Rue, incaricato dal Consiglio dei diritti umani delle Nazioni Unite di monitorare la situazione del diritto alla libertà di opinione e di espressione nel mondo, auspica sul tema della libertà di stampa l'avvio di discussioni tra l'Onu e il governo italiano. Il relatore si è detto "consapevole" del fatto che il disegno di legge vuole rispondere alle preoccupazioni relative "alle implicazioni della pubblicazione delle informazioni intercettate per il processo giuridico e il diritto alla privacy". Ma ha precisato che "nella sua forma attuale non costituisce una risposta adeguata a tali preoccupazioni e pone minacce per il diritto alla libertà di espressione".
Italy: draft wiretapping law should be scrapped or revised, says UN expert on freedom of expression
GENEVA (13 July 2010) – The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, urged the Italian Government to “either abolish or revise draft law 1415* on surveillance and eavesdropping for criminal investigations.” He warned that, “if adopted in its current form, it may undermine the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression in Italy.”
According to the current draft, anyone who is not accredited as a professional journalist can be sentenced to imprisonment for up to four years for recording any communication or conversation without the consent of the person involved, and publicizing such information.
“Such a severe penalty will seriously undermine all individuals’ right to seek and impart information in contravention of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights** to which Italy is a party,” stressed the independent expert designated by the Human Rights Council to monitor the situation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression worldwide.
La Rue also expressed concern regarding the introduction of a penalty for journalists and publishers who publish the content of leaked wiretapped materials before the beginning of a trial. “Such punishment, including up to 30 days in jail and a penalty of up to 10,000 euros for journalists and 450,000 euros for publishers, is disproportionate to the offence.”
“These provisions may hamper the work of journalists to undertake investigative journalism on matters of public interest, such as corruption, given the excessive length of judicial proceedings in Italy, as highlighted repeatedly by the Council of Europe,” the Special Rapporteur noted.
“I am aware that the draft law has been put forward due to perceived concerns regarding implications of publicizing wiretapped information to the judicial process and the right to privacy,” La Rue said. “However, the draft law in its current form does not constitute an appropriate response to such concerns, and poses threats to the right to freedom of expression.”
Noting the nationwide demonstrations by journalists and ordinary citizens against the draft law on 9 July 2010, the expert recommended the Government to “refrain from adopting the draft law in its current form, and to engage in meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders, in particular journalists and media organizations, to ensure that their concerns are taken into account.”
“I stand ready to provide technical assistance to ensure that the draft law is in compliance with international human rights standards on the right to freedom of expression,” La Rue said. “I look forward to engaging with the Government of Italy regarding a possible fact-finding mission in 2011 to examine the situation of press freedom and the right to freedom of expression in Italy.”
Frank La Rue was appointed as Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression in August 2008 by the UN Human Rights Council. As Special Rapporteur, he is independent from any Government or organization and serves in his individual capacity. The UN first decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur to examine questions relevant to the right to freedom of opinion and expression in 1993. The mandate, since reviewed and extended in 2008, involves reporting annually to the Human Rights Council on issues related to freedom of opinion and expression.
(*) Progetto di Legge 1415: Norme in material di intercettazioni telefoniche, telematiche e ambientali. The draft law was passed by the Senate on 10 June 2010 and is pending approval by the Chamber of Deputies and signature by the President before it becomes law.
(**) Article 19 of the ICCPR states: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
OHCHR Country Page – Italy: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/ENACARegion/Pages/ITIndex.aspx
Scheda
Frank La Rue
Mr. La Rue has worked on human rights for the past 25 years. He is the founder of the Center for Legal Action for Human Rights (CALDH), both in Washington DC and Guatemala, which became the first Guatemalan NGO to bring cases of human rights violations to the Inter-American System. CALDH was also the first Guatemalan NGO to promote economic, social and cultural rights. Mr. La Rue also brought the first genocide case against the military dictatorship in Guatemala. As a human rights activist, his name was presented to the Nobel Peace Prize committee in 2004.
Mr. La Rue has previously served as a Presidential Commissioner for Human Rights in Guatemala, as a Human Rights Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, as President of the Governing Board of the Centro-American Institute of Social Democracy Studies and as a consultant to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Mr. La Rue holds a B.A. in Legal and Social Sciences from the University of San Carlos, Guatemala and a postgraduate degree in U.S. foreign policy from Johns Hopkins University.
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