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Berlusconi's TV channel stalks anti-bribes judge

Hidden TV crew spies on Milan magistrate whose ruling infuriated Italian PM

By Michael Day in Milan

A television channel owned by the media empire of Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, has been accused of an extraordinary attempt to harass the judge who earlier this month ruled against his business empire in a bribery case.

Within days of magistrate Raimondo Mesiano ordering Berlusconi's Fininvest group, his financial holding company, to pay €750m (£680m) in compensation to a rival company, the prime minister's flagship Canale 5 channel began secretly filming the magistrate in the streets of Milan as he went about his business.

The results were beamed to millions on the Mattino 5 programme, accompanied by a voiceover that ridiculed Mesiano for his "extravagant" and "eccentric behaviour", his "impatience", and, most bizarrely, the fact that he wore turquoise socks. Mesiano appeared to have done nothing stranger than go for a shave, and smoke cigarettes outside the barber shop while awaiting his turn.

The video has raised tensions between Berlusconi and the judiciary even further following the Constitutional Court's decision earlier this month to strip thePrime Minister of his immunity from prosecution – thus making it likely that he will have to return to court on corruption charges.

At the weekend, the national magistrates association, CSM, expressed outrage that the judge had been secretly shadowed during his free time. "We don't think there are precedents in Italy for denigrating a person and seeking to cast aspersions about ordinary everyday activities," the association said. It has reported the incident to the privacy watchdog, which is said to be investigating.

"The worst thing – the thing that really gives you the shivers – is the shadowing, the spying, the violation of privacy, the public ridicule, with the implied warning: look out, we're watching you," one journalist wrote in La Stampa on Saturday. He added that the harassment of a judge in this way was something that so far "we've seen only in the movies".

Dario Franceschini, leader of the Democratic Party, said: "Mesiano was simply guilty of doing his job as a judge." On Twitter he called on people to wear turquoise socks to show support for the judge.

But most tellingly, Berlusconi's political allies and some insiders in Mediaset, which broadcasts Canale 5, also said they were appalled by the report. One Mediaset writer told The Independent yesterday: "This is the most disgraceful, pathetic and witless thing I've ever seen."

Enrico Mentana, a prominent journalist and former director of Berlusconi's Canale 5, said: "This was an action designed to offend someone who made an enemy of the company [Mediaset] simply by doing his job." He called on Fedele Confalonieri, Mediaset's president and a senior Berlusconi lieutenant, "to get a grip on things".

Mauro Crippa, Mediaset's head of news, issued a combative statement defending what he said was an "objective broadcast" on a figure who had risen to "national and international prominence". He added: "We don't accept lectures from those who have routinely used spying as a journalistic method", in an apparent reference to the newspapers' coverage of the sex scandals involving the Prime Minister.

Berlusconi was likely to have been further angered when he heard that Mesiano was promoted in the judiciary within days of the Fininvest ruling.

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Comments

[info]dennis_mundo wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 12:24 am (UTC)
I love Italy for many reasons, but what a banana republic....:/
[info]doug_piranha wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 08:22 am (UTC)
But that's what you get when you elect a monkey like Berlusconi
DOES BERLUSCONI PROVIDE THE JUDGE LIFE INSURANCE?
[info]e_paul_imhof wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 09:13 am (UTC)
Look at the bright side. Invasion of Raimondo Mesianio's privacy may protect his life. Frankly, I was afraid of worse. Too many people disappear mysteriously or are bumprd off. Rather than retain Mafiosi to kill the mediamogul must now pay out of his own pocket for prevention of murder. No prime minister can afford blame for stalking and identifying the victim that happens to be an honest judge who recently ruled against the superrich PM's private interest.
[info]charliefalcao wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 12:05 pm (UTC)
Yes, attacking judges on a national media for one's own interests is not a nice things.
Yes, having parties with prostitutes is not the highest of the human occupations.
But the media coverage of italian affairs in UK has been too focused on Berlusconi's private affairs, you are only hitting the surface. There are more serious matters happening in Italy.
The tax amnesty just approved (scudo fiscale) by the Berlusconi goverment allows for the money laundering of shed loads of mafia profits coming from any kind of illegal activities. We are talking about hundreds of billions of pounds. With all this money, mafia is penetrating into Europe.

http://www.beppegrillo.it/en/2009/09/santa_mafia.html#comments

Forget about italians' dignity, that was lost long ago, please, please cover the important matters.
Is that Mafia spelt Politician?
[info]snotcricket wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 02:39 pm (UTC)
Poor old Silvio at least he can deny the accusation 'hairhead' as being clearly false.
Quality is our Dignity; Service is our Lift.
[info]myyshop010107 wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 02:39 pm (UTC)
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Mussolini reincarnated
[info]cardrew wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 07:53 pm (UTC)
Hopefully Dictator berlusconi will be forced to resign once his corruption trial ends.
Italy has become a political joke with this lowlife mafia thug.
Who could seriously consider Blair for European President when we remember how he degraded Great Britain by kowtowing to this creep, so that he could have a cheap holiday.

I assume there are no laws in Italy to stop media stalking, even if they exist would the Italian police enforce them? The Italian police only seem to be there to harrass immigrants, and protect berlusconi.

Maybe it is like USA under Bush, you could never find anyone who admitted to voting for Bush, perhaps no self-respecting Italian would admit that they voted for berlusconi.
Berlusconi And The Judge
[info]aristofenes wrote:
Monday, 19 October 2009 at 11:14 pm (UTC)
No, not only in the movies! The much vaunted General Motors did exactly the same to Ralph Nader years ago! Remember "Unsafe At Any Speed?"

When Nader criticised GM, they hired private detectives to spy on him. It's the American Way. The corporatocracy and ruling classes do as they please -- until caught red-handed. They don't take kindly to the truth.
che schifo
[info]aria26 wrote:
Tuesday, 20 October 2009 at 04:31 pm (UTC)
io vivo in italia da qdo sono nata ma ho viaggiato e vissuto altre realtą e vi posso dire che amo la mia terra ma mi fa schifo chi la governa: mafiosi, corruttori, assassini, ladroni e prostitute.
non so dove andremo a finire se anche chi fa il proprio lavoro č soggetto a ritorsioni come i giornalisti, giudici e persone oneste.

esiste una parte d'italia che cammina ancora a testa alta, che ha valori e crede nella democrazia e libertą,
io faccio parte di questa parte e posso dire che

Berlusconi non mi rappresenta.
Re: che schifo
[info]robertclondon wrote:
Tuesday, 20 October 2009 at 07:15 pm (UTC)
Dear Aria26,

Allow me to translate, if I may. I hope I do your sentiments justice:

"How disgusting

I have lived in Italy since I was born but I have travelled and seen the reality of life in other countries. I can tell you that I love my country but those who govern it make me sick: mafiosi, corrupters, assassins, thieves and prostitutes. I don't know what will happen to us if even those who are simply doing their jobs as journalists and judges - honest people - are subjected to blackmail.

There still exists a part of Italy that walks with its head up high, which has moral values and believes in democracy and freedom. I belong to that part and I can tell you that Berlusconi does not represent me."
[info]justicewhite wrote:
Saturday, 14 November 2009 at 02:46 pm (UTC)
Mr Berlusconi never disappoints. He is almost par with a certain Greek royalty with his gaffes. Why would a bribery charge for his TV channel be any of any surprise.





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