Vatileaks 2: Fr Lombardi guarantees a proper and fair trial for defendants
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The ongoing trial in the Vatican concerning the unlawful publication of leaked confidential documents – the so-called Vatileaks 2 – has raised questions and concerns with respect to Vatican law and freedom of the press.
At today’s hearing (pictured), the judges postponed the trial to further notice. However, in response to the aforementioned questions and concerns, the Director of the Holy See Press Office Fr Federico Lombardi, S.J the, and the General Council of the State of Vatican City Cesare Mirabelli issued separate statements.
In a Note, Fr Lombardi explained that the trial is taking place inside a state – the Vatican City State – that has its own laws, with rules based on due process, with lawyers and judges. With respect to the journalists Fittipaldi and Nuzzi, he reiterated that freedom of the press is not in question, nor the right to publish news, but rather the manner by which documents were acquired, and whether the latter constitutes a criminal offense.
“In recent weeks, since the opening of the trial for the dissemination of reserved documents commonly known as ‘Vatileaks 2’, many observations and evaluations have been written regarding the judicial system of Vatican City State and in particular on the Tribunal where this trial and its related procedures are taking place. Since many of these observations are inappropriate, or at times entirely unjustified, it would appear opportune to offer some considerations enabling a clearer view and a more just evaluation of this fundamental aspect of the situation.
“Firstly, although this should be self-evident, it is necessary to recall that Vatican City State has its own legal order, entirely autonomous and separate from the Italian legal system, and has its own judicial bodies for the various levels of judgement and the necessary legislation in terms of criminal matters and procedure.
“Within this latter there exist all the procedural guarantees characteristic of the most advanced contemporary legal systems. Indeed, all the fundamental principles are established and fully implemented: an independent and impartial tribunal constituted by law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a technical defence (by private or ex officio legal representation), and the freedom of the judicial college to form an opinion on the basis of evidence in public hearing and in debate between the prosecution and the defence, leading to the issuance of a sentence able to be substantiated and with the possibility of being contested by appeal and ultimately annulled.
“All those engaged in judicial roles, both investigators and judges, are selected via co-optation; they may not be recruited by way of a public selection procedure open to the citizens of the State, as normally occurs in other States. They are selected from among professionals of the highest level, with consolidated experience and a recognised reputation (as may be seen in their curricula vitae, which can be consulted via internet). Indeed, they are all professors in Italian universities.
“With regard to the lawyers, a violation of the right to a defence has been hypothesised. In this respect it is necessary to avoid a basic mistake: the current Vatican legislation, applied by the legal authorities, is perfectly in line with procedural law in the majority of jurisdictions throughout the world, where a specific qualification is required for admission to practice in the courts; this is issued subject to certain prerequisites and the possession of specified qualifications.
"It is therefore unsurprising that a lawyer able to practice in Italy may not be able to do so in Vatican City State, just as he or she would not be able to practice in Germany or France. Arguments to the contrary would imply that a foreign defendant would be able to claim to be represented in Italy by a foreign private lawyer, which is not permitted. Such conditions do not constitute a limit imposed by the Vatican legal order, but rather a further confirmation of its autonomy and completeness.
“These are lawyers qualified not only at the Tribunals of the Church and the Holy See, but also in the Italian courts, as they are all registered in the respective councils of the Order of Italian lawyers. In addition, they also possess a second degree in canon law and a further diploma conferred following a three-year specialist course at the Roman Rota. Therefore, they are professionals who, aside from being in authorised to practise in Italy, are also in possession of further knowledge rendering them eligible for practice in a jurisdiction in which a knowledge of canon law is necessary.
“These are prerequisites necessary to guarantee the professionalism and competence of those who are entrusted with ensuring the proper conduct of a trial which, for various reasons, attracts broad attention.”
Professor Cesare Mirabelli, who served as a justice and later President of the Italian Constitutional Court, and is currently the General Council for the Vatican City State, told Vatican Radio that “Freedom of the press is guaranteed.” However, “The Vatican court will have to determine whether the documents were acquired properly or if a crime was committed in their acquisition, and if the journalists on trial were involved in the illegal, I was going to say criminal, acquisition of those documents.”
There is no “ban or limitation on investigative reporting, which also has a positive aspect because it highlights existing problems and thus informs the public. However, investigative journalism does not mean acquiring document by breaking the law to publish information.”
“Freedom of the press certainly includes freedom to express one’s thought, voice one’s opinions, and publish records or documents, but there are limits when this concerns – for example – state security or other aspects that reference to confidential records or documents.
“Therefore, limiting freedom do not mean trampling freedom to inform. Some aspects cover the procedures by which documents are acquired – as in this case –or even the nature of some information that remains confidential.
“In this trial, freedom of the press is not questioned. The goal is to prosecute an offence under Vatican criminal law. This is not unique because many legislations impose penalties when classified state documents are taken.”
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