Over 7,000 Threats to Journalists in Less than Two Decades: Focus on Italy with Ossigeno per l’Informazione

We recently interviewed our longstanding partner, Ossigeno per l’Informazione (Ossigeno) to discuss the current situation for press freedom in Italy. 

As the only organisation in the country consistently monitoring threats and intimidation against journalists and civil rights defenders, Ossigeno plays a pivotal role in addressing the systemic challenges that hinder free expression. Through detailed documentation, reports, an online magazine, and free legal aid, the organisation supports journalists targeted for their work, helping them resist attacks and combat isolation.

The Critical Work of Ossigeno

Ossigeno was founded in 2006 to address a significant gap in press freedom initiatives. Established as a non-profit association, it has been primarily staffed by journalists volunteering their time to combat threats intimidation. One of the organisations primary initiatives is the extensive monitoring of threats to journalists through its independent online observatory.

Between 2006 and 2024, Ossigeno documented and monitored over 7,000 cases of intimidation. Despite these efforts, the organisation emphasises that most incidents in Italy remain unreported, leaving thousands of journalists unprotected. In this period, only twenty journalists have received full-time police escorts, and another 200 have received light protection. Meanwhile, thousands of other threatened journalists receive little to no support from authorities or media houses.

Ossigeno’s data has revealed systemic issues, including outdated laws that perpetuate violations against journalists. Its observatory has been crucial in identifying these issues, particularly the impact of Italy’s criminal and civil defamation laws on press freedom. By documenting these cases, publishing findings, and sharing journalists’ stories, Ossigeno has set a benchmark for transparency and accountability, helping break the silence.

National Silence Around Attacks on Media

Ossigeno told us how the situation for journalists in Italy is serious and worsening. Threats and intimidation have plagued the media for years, with limited accountability from authorities. While the issue has gained some attention in recent years, especially since the rise of Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government, it remains underreported.

Physical attacks on journalists, often perpetrated by far-right militants, have increased, alongside growing control over public radio and television spaces, including episodes of blatant censorship. One widely publicised case was the censorship of renowned writer Antonio Scurati’s speech, scheduled to air on RAI, Italy’s public national broadcaster.

While such attacks on high profile journalists and authors receive significant media attention, many others—far more frequent—go unnoticed. The profound media silence and political indifference in Italy, Ossigeno notes, are difficult to reconcile with the gravity of these assaults, particularly against journalists who publish news unwelcome to those in power.

Despite increasing international recognition of these issues, domestic attention remains scant. Even appeals from high-ranking officials, such as Italian President Sergio Mattarella, have failed to generate meaningful action.

Ossigeno’s monitoring has uncovered that there is a 90% impunity rate for such threats and attacks, indicating the impact of this national silence.

Ossigeno’s Data Reveals Emerging Trends in Threats and Intimidation

In 2024, Ossigeno reported an average of more than one journalist being threatened daily. Key trends include an increase in threats from public administrators, a rise in gender-based harassment and online violence, and regional disparities in intimidation levels.

Regional Disparities
According to Ossigeno’s data, this year, Liguria ranks as the region experiencing the highest levels of intimidation by public officials, followed by Umbria and Sicily. The regions with the largest number of journalists facing threats are Lombardy, Lazio, and Sicily, each accounting for 12% of the total cases.

Gender-Based Attacks
Women journalists face 27% of the total threats recorded in 2024, with a noticeable increase in gender-based intimidation, hate speech, and attacks targeting women sports reporters covering football.

The Chilling Effect of Intimidation
Despite a 19% decrease in threats to journalists in 2024 compared to the previous year, the underlying reasons suggest this is not a positive development. While Ossigeno was aware of more cases, victims were often unwilling to provide the additional documentation required for monitoring. This growing reluctance among journalists who have experienced intimidation—many of whom have had their names and stories widely publicised in national media—highlights a troubling trend.

Increase in Online and Verbal Intimidation
Threats in the form of ‘warnings’ have increased, particularly through insults, graffiti, and banners. These warnings also encompass stalking, threats on social media, personal threats (both written and verbal), and death threats. Compared to 2023, these types of attacks have nearly doubled.

Repeated Harassment
Nearly one-third of journalists who reported threats in the first half of 2024 had previously experienced intimidation, violence, or rights abuses connected to their work.

A Positive Decrease in Lawfare
The misuse of legal actions—such as frivolous summonses, intimidating complaints, baseless allegations by magistrates, and other abuses of law—now accounts for 16%, a significant decrease from 34% in 2023.

Who Is Carrying Out These Threats?
Overall, nearly half of all threats (42%, an increase of 5%) originate from private citizens, either acting alone or in groups. Public entities, including local administrators—particularly mayors and councillors—and representatives of local or national political parties, account for 29% of the threats. Meanwhile, threats linked to mafias have decreased, now comprising 8% of the total.

Addressing the Crisis

According to Ossigeno, the first major step would be for Italian authorities to embrace the recommendations from the recent European Commission’s report on the rule of law, which highlights the various issues with press freedom in Italy. Ossigeno stresses the need for proactive steps at the political, legislative, and administrative levels to address shortcomings in journalist safety. Key recommendations include:

1. Decriminalising defamation and ensuring proportionate penalties.
2. Reforming laws to prevent the misuse of defamation complaints.
3. Introducing sanctions for malicious defamation claims.
4. Addressing political interference in public broadcasters.
5. Effectively implementing the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive.

The organisation has also proposed legislative changes to distinguish between intentional and negligent defamation and enable journalists to access civil liability insurance.

Legal Support Through Media Defence: Combating Abusive Defamation Suits

Ossigeno has been a Media Defence funded partner since 2016. Over eight years, the partnership has supported 80 journalists, achieving a 95% success rate in 46 cases.

Most of these cases involve journalists facing defamation complaints. For thirty years, Italy has struggled to reform its outdated defamation law, which classifies defamation as a criminal offence punishable by up to six years in prison and civil damages of up to 50,000 euros. Every criminal complaint triggers a trial, with no possibility of early dismissal, making it a tool often used to silence journalists. Defendants must cover legal fees, even if acquitted, and insurers cannot help due to the law’s classification of defamation as an intentional crime. Journalists in Italy, particularly freelancers, face increasingly precarious and low pay, with many being pressured to abandon their work due to high legal costs and punitive fines. The partnership between Media Defence and Ossigeno provides these journalists with access to high-quality, affordable legal support.

According to Ossigeno, this collaboration has allowed it to refine its litigation strategies, offering a vital lifeline to journalists facing legal harassment and overwhelming financial burdens.

Impactful Cases and Future Directions

Ossigeno’s legal support has resulted in several landmark decisions. One notable case involved Angelo Del Lupo, a citizen journalist who exposed public fund misuse and faced a €250,000 lawsuit. The court ruled in his favour, affirming the importance of investigative journalism.

Despite these victories, much work remains. While Ossigeno’s efforts have raised awareness of press freedom issues, legislative reform is still pending. The organisation continues to leverage its resources and its partnership to advance its mission and support journalists in navigating an increasingly hostile environment.

Interested in the topic?

Read more about our funded partners.
Read more support to journalists in Italy.