On 12 November 2024, Sigfrido Ranucci, working since 1990 for the Italian public radio and television Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI), journalist and host of the of Rai’s RAI 3 investigative news programme Report. (https://www.rai.it/programmi/report/), revealed in a Facebook post that the team received a serious death threat.
The threat followed a broadcast by journalist Giorgio Mottola, RAI 3 journalist, on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The threat included a disturbingly referenced the 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre. In the threats the team was attacked for an allegedly anti-Israel report.
You can read the Facebook post here: https://www.facebook.com/share/18C6dPvGWD/?mibextid=WC7FNe
You can see the Giorgio Mottola broadcast here: https://www.rai.it/programmi/report/inchieste/Il-laboratorio-996f7402-dd1d-4ed9-9308-14251bf824e7.html . The report, prepared by Giorgio Mottola, dealt with the delicate situation in Gaza and provoked divisive reactions.
Charlie Hebdo (https://charliehebdo.fr/) is a French satirical weekly magazine known for its provocative and often controversial cartoons, articles, and commentary, which frequently target political and religious figures. On 7 January 2015 the magazine’s Paris, France, office was attacked in a terrorist shooting attack by two French-born Muslim brothers, who killed 12 people, including eight journalists, two police officers, one caretaker and one visitor. The attack was a reaction in response to Charlie Hebdo’s publications of cartoons depicting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. The tragedy underscored global debates about freedom of expression, religious sensitivity, and security.
Ranucci reported the threat to police and received strong support by press freedom advocates, journalist unions, politicians, leading Italian journalists and the Rai supervisory commission. Statements poured in, emphasizing the gravity of the threat and the need for swift investigation. Politicians called for protective measures for journalists and denounced the rise in attacks on free press. Rai representatives voiced outrage, demanding action to defend journalistic independence and safety.
The incident highlights growing risks faced by journalists reporting about conflicts in the world and sensitive topics and has led to widespread calls for enhanced protection and immediate accountability for threats.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the alarming death threats directed at Sigfrido Ranucci and the Report editorial team following the broadcast of an investigative piece on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Such threats, especially invoking the tragic Charlie Hebdo attack, are unacceptable assaults on press freedom and journalistic safety. SEEMO emphasizes the critical need for robust state action to protect journalists from intimidation and violence. SEEMO will be closely monitoring the case to ensure that justice is served and that freedom of expression is safeguarded.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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