By Francesco Sylos Labini

In constitutional democracies such as Italy, there is a fundamental principle: no one can be punished or deprived of their rights without a decision by a judge, rendered after a fair trial. This is guaranteed by Articles 24 and 25 of the Italian Constitution, as well as by Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

From an early age, we are taught that liberal democracy is based on the separation of powers — executive, legislative, and judicial — on the protection of minorities from the tyranny of the majority, on political pluralism, and on full respect for individual and collective freedoms, beginning with freedom of expression.