Italy: Journalists’ phones wiretapped by prosecutors
7 hours ago
A number of Italian journalists had their phones wiretapped by Sicilian prosecutors in Trapani as part of their investigation into sea rescue NGOs and charities, a move that has been registered as a threat to press freedom.
Mapping Media Freedom, a project that tracks threats to press freedom, registered the breach, saying the reports are very concerning. The secret surveillance was carried out as part of the probe into three NGOs’ alleged complicity in people smuggling and immigration in the Mediterranean. Reports of wiretapping of journalists conversations with sources by prosecutors in #Italy are very concerning. Surveillance was carried out as part of a probe into three NGO’s alleged complicity in people smuggling in the Mediterranean. @FnsiSocial⬇️https://t.co/Eg1DaOKSy1pic.twitter.com/5SbcVGVIma
ROME: There has been condemnation in Italy of reporters being wiretapped during an investigation into migrant trafficking and humanitarian rescue groups.
At least 15 reporters who were covering stories of people trying to reach Italy from Libya had their conversations intercepted.
According to daily newspaper Domani, hundreds of pages of phone conversation transcripts were part of the investigation led by prosecutors in Trapani, Sicily, into the activities of humanitarian rescue groups. The transcripts, it reported on Friday, contained the names of sources and contacts.
Primo Di Nicola, a senator for the populist Five Star Movement who sits on a parliamentary oversight commission for Italian state broadcaster RAI, condemned the wiretapping and also proposed a bill to safeguard journalists.
University, Malta Enterprise agree to help start-ups
April 6, 2021 7:39 PM
Malta Enterprise and the University of Malta have agreed to support start-ups through training and funding.
A memorandum of understanding providing for such collaboration was signed today by University Rector Alfred Vella and Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia.
Through its Centre for Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation (CEBI), the University will provide pre-application training for start-ups seeking funding from Malta Enterprise.
“This will ensure that a new business owner is well informed on how to set up the business and benefit from both pre- and post-application mentoring,” the Minister for Enterprise, Miriam Dalli said.