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Blogging illegal in Italy?
by Scott Gilbreath ~ October 6th, 2008
Earlier this year an Italian judge invoked a 1948 law against “clandestine newspapers” in ordering a writer to close his blog. Now an Italian politician has expressed his fear that “almost the entire Italian internet” is illegal.
The story begins back in May, when a judge in Modica (in Sicily) found local historian and author Carlo Ruta guilty of the crime of “stampa clandestina” – or publishing a “clandestine” newspaper – in respect of his blog. The judge ruled that since the blog had a headline, that made it an online newspaper, and brought it within the law’s remit.
The penalties for this crime are not onerous: A fine of 250 Euros or a prison sentence of up to two years. [Two years' imprisonment sounds pretty onerous to me -- ed.] Carlo Ruta was fined and ordered to take down his site, which has now been replaced by a blank page, headed “Site under construction”, and a link directing surfers to his new site. Hardly serious stuff – except that he now has a criminal record, and his original site has disappeared.
The ruling against Mr Ruta could still be overturned by a higher court. In the meantime, another Italian journalist-blogger has been hauled into court.
I’d imagine Canada’s “human rights” commissars would love to see a similar law here.
h/t: Tongue Tied 3
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October 8th, 2008 at 05:50 PM
[...] BLOGGING illegal in Italy? …. [...]
October 9th, 2008 at 08:30 AM
Italian governments – which usually last less than two years – are consequently notoriously ineffective at enforcing any legislation. Italy can declare blogging illegal legislatively and it STILL wouldn’t make one bit of difference to how Italians live their lives. America has stand-up comedy; Italy has government to make them laugh.