An Italian journalist, Sigfrido Ranucci, has escaped death after his car was destroyed overnight by a bomb explosion.
Ranucci’s car, alongside another family’s car and a building blew up in the explosion without any casualty, as disclosed by Italian media.
A statement by RAI public television held that the detonation was severe and caused unrest at the scene in Pomezia, near Rome.
”The force of the explosion was so strong that it could have killed anyone passing by at the moment,” RAI disclosed on the incident which happened on Friday.
Several other reactions have condemned the incident, terming it as a threat to practitioners in the journalism profession. Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, said, ”This is a serious act of intimidation.
”The freedom and independence of information are non-negotiable values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend.”
Interior Minister, canvassed for an increased security of journalists and added, ”The attack is a cowardly and extremely serious act which is not only against the person but on the freedom of the press and the fundamental values of our democracy.”
The Reporters Without Borders, RSF, bemoaned the statistics of Italy being 49th in the world in terms of press freedom.
“Journalists who investigate organised crime and corruption are systematically threatened and sometimes subjected to physical violence for their investigative work,” the RSF disclosed in a statement.
”About 20 journalists currently live under permanent police protection after being the targets of intimidation and attacks,” it concluded.
