Concerned by M5S insults at journalists

(ANSA) - Rome, April 18 - Reporters without Borders (RSF) said Thursday it was concerned about insults aimed at Italian journalists by the ruling anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S).
    "Many Italian journalists," it said in its annual report on press freedom, "have been openly criticised and insulted for their work by political representatives, in particular by some members of the M5S, who have not hesitated to call them "jackals without value" and "prostitutes", the report said.
    "For this reason, some of them (the journalists) today give in to the temptation of self-censoring to avoid pressure on the part of the political universe".
    Italy rose from 46th to 43rd in the latest RSF press freedom standings, overtaking the United States.
    Italy had been 52nd in 2017.
    The US dropped from 45th to 48th.
    leading the French NGO's rankings again was Norway followed by Finland, up two places, and Sweden, down one.
    North Korea and Turkmenistan came last.
    RSF added that almost 20 Italian journalists were under police protection from the Mafia and other threats, double the previous year.