The National Day in Memory of Killed Journalists is law and will be celebrated on May 3

The Senate has unanimously approved, definitively, the bill establishing for May 3 is the National Day in Memory of Killed Journalists due to the performance of their profession.

Long applause accompanied the reading of the names of some of the journalists killed over the years by organized crime or in war zones in the Senate Chamber. Ivan Scalfarottosenator of Italia viva, during the explanation of vote he mentioned Mauro De Mauro, Walter Tobagi, Carlo Casalegno, Giancarlo Siani, Mario Francese, Beppe Alfano, Mauro Rostagno, Giuseppe Fava, Giuseppe Impastato, Ilaria Alpi and Miran Hrovatin, Maria Grazia Cutuli, Almerigo Grilz and Antonio Russo. “We should protect the freedom of the press and the profession of journalists with great attention. That is the genesis of our freedom as citizens,” the senator stated among other things.

The law provides that “the State, the Regions, the Provinces, the metropolitan cities and the Municipalities can promote, within their autonomy and respective competences, specific initiatives, ceremonies, conferences, public meetings and other activities aimed at enhancing the freedom of the press and the role played by information”.

Universities, journalism schools and educational institutions of all levels, “within their autonomy, can promote educational initiatives aimed at commemorating journalists killed as a result of their activities and at deepening knowledge of the professional activity of journalists, as well as dedicating a specific lesson on article 21 of the Constitution“.

Campaigns against hatred and threats

For the National Day, institutional campaigns may be promoted to counter hate speech and threats directed against women journalists, including actions aimed at making a person ashamed of their physical appearance.

The campaigns also highlight that online violence and attacks aim to undermine investigative journalism, freedom of expression, criticism and public trust in the press.

The Day will be celebrated every year on May 3rdcoinciding with World Press Freedom Day, and can be celebrated as early as this Sunday.

The bill was born from an initiative of the deputy Paolo Emilio Russo (Forza Italia) and was approved unanimously by the Chamber in July 2025.

Russo: “A tribute to those who sacrificed their lives to inform”

“The National Day of Journalists Killed in the Practice of Their Profession is law: it will be celebrated on May 3rd of each year and is intended to be a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives to defend citizens’ right to be informed”, declared Paolo Emilio Russo, first signatory of the proposal.

“The final unanimous approval by the Senate, after the unanimous vote of the Chamber, a few days before the chosen day, is particularly significant: an important signal of attention to a category that has made a precious contribution to our democracy and to a sector, that of journalism and publishing, which has undergone a real revolution”.

“The law provides that the State, the Regions and local authorities promote awareness initiatives involving schools, universities, sector associations and the professional association to remember and honor another category of “victims of duty“, that of journalists, which until now had not had the right recognition”, explained Russo.

The text also establishes that the public broadcasting service concessionaire dedicates space to tell the stories of fallen journalists and that the Information and Publishing Department of the Presidency of the Council publishes their names on the institutional website.

The law also looks to the future, providing for initiatives and campaigns to strengthen the fight against hate speech and threats, with particular attention to women journalists.

“It is a result that I share with my fellow signatories – from all groups – and with all the associations and professionals in the sector who have been asking for this recognition for years”, he concluded.