OSCE Representative on Media Freedom asks Berlusconi for clarification

VIENNA, 23 April 2002 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, has sent a letter to the acting Italian Foreign Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, asking for clarification on an alleged statement by him quoted by the European media. Mr. Berlusconi was alleged to have said that the journalists "Biagi, Santoro and Luttazzi have used the public TV in a criminal way."

"My Office is involved in investigating cases of journalists who are accused of committing criminal acts, especially when these accusations come from the executive branch of government," Mr. Duve wrote in his letter to Mr. Berlusconi. "I would appreciate any information your legal advisers and the Ministry of Justice would be able to provide to my Office on how these three journalists did "use public televisionin a criminal way."