VIENNA
The Express Tribune
AFP
VIENNA: The OSCE on Monday took the unusual step of taking the Vatican to task, calling for the withdrawal of criminal charges against two journalists over a leaks scandal rocking the Catholic Church.
“Journalists must be free to report on issues of public interest and to protect their confidential sources,” said Dunja Mijatovic, media freedom representative at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
“I call on the authorities not to proceed with the charges and protect journalists’ rights in accordance with OSCE commitments,” Mijatovic said in a statement.
The Vatican said on Saturday that it has charged journalists Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi along with three other people for the “unlawful disclosure of information and confidential documents”.
Both have written books that use classified documents to back up allegations of corruption, theft and uncontrolled spending at the Vatican.
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