Liberating tears mixed with applause marked the end of a 16-year “odyssey” for writer Roberto Saviano, following a Rome appeals court ruling that upheld prison sentences against Camorra boss Francesco Bidognetti and his lawyer Michele Santonastaso. The pair were convicted for issuing public threats against Saviano and journalist Rosaria Capacchione from a Naples courtroom in 2008.
Bidognetti, the Casalesi clan leader imprisoned under strict regime since 1993, received a confirmed 18-month sentence, while Santonastaso was handed 14 months. Saviano wept openly as the verdict was announced, embracing his lawyer Antonio Nobile to courtroom applause. He described the ruling as vindication for press freedom: “They stole my life,” Saviano stated. “Sixteen years of trial isn’t a victory for anyone… but we now have official proof that the Camorra publicly targeted journalism in court, insinuating journalists like myself and Capacchione were responsible for their convictions.”
The threats occurred during the Spartacus appeal trial against the Casalesi clan, when Santonastaso read a document attempting to disqualify judges by citing Saviano’s book *Gomorra* and Capacchione’s reporting for *Il Mattino* newspaper. Prosecutors proved this constituted intimidation against the journalists. The case was transferred to Rome eight years ago after Italy’s Supreme Court overturned a prior Neapolitan ruling.
Saviano, under police protection since 2006 due to Casalesi threats, emphasized the unprecedented nature of the 2008 incident: “Never before had a criminal syndicate attacked journalists in open court worldwide.” The Italian National Press Federation and Journalists’ Association joined as civil parties in the case, which saw Rome’s appeals court confirm the original verdict recognizing the mafia-style intimidation aggravating factor.
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