Special Mention for Italian Law Enforcement Experts at Eurojust in European Awards for Investigative and Forensic Journalism | Eurojust

The coordination pool of Italian law enforcement experts seconded to Eurojust received a special mention at the European Investigative and Forensic Journalism Awards ceremony, held in Naples on 11 November. The special mention is an acknowledgment of their support for cross-border judicial support through the Italian national office of Eurojust and assistance in the investigation of alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine.

At Eurojust, the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza), the National Gendarmerie (Carabinieri) and the Prison Police (Polizia Penitenziaria) are represented at the national office to coordinate judicial cooperation with their respective forces. These are seconded national experts, who work in a coordination pool, providing support for cooperation and coordination under the supervision of the Italian national member of Eurojust. The Italian national office of Eurojust is the only one currently working with such a coordination module.

Eurojust was represented at the awards ceremony by the national member for Italy, Mr Filippo Spiezia, as well as by the experts. Eurojust President, Mr. Ladislav Hamran, addressed the event via a video message, emphasizing the importance of investigative journalism in major criminal cases.

The main Naples prizes were awarded to Italian investigative journalists Nello Scavo, Francesca Mannocchi and Gabriele Micalizzi for their reporting and documentation of major national court cases. Additionally, the award also recognized their work in international reporting, including the war in Ukraine. A special dedication was given to journalists and photographers Benjamin Hall, Alexandra Kuvshinova and Pierre Zakrzewski, who lost their lives while reporting on the war in Ukraine.

The European Prizes for Investigative and Judicial Journalism are an initiative of the social cultural association Sirio, based in Naples, with the support, among others, of the Office of the President of the Italian Republic, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development international, the Municipality of Naples and Eurojust.