Italian investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci targeted in car bombing

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 October 2025 |  CPJ News Alert/Photo: AFP

Italian journalist Sigfrido Ranucci survived a car bombing outside his home, prompting urgent calls for action from authorities. The incident illustrates the severe risks faced by journalists in Italy due to organized crime.

Summary

BERLIN—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the Italian authorities to swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible for a car bomb that targeted investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci on October 17, 2025.

The explosive device detonated outside Ranucci’s home in Pomezia, south of Rome, destroying his car and damaging another family vehicle and the property’s gate, as seen here in a video. No one was injured; the blast occurred shortly after Ranucci and his daughter had arrived home. Italy’s anti-Mafia prosecutors have opened an investigation.

Ranucci, the anchor of public broadcaster RAI3’s weekly show “Report,” has been under police protection for years due to repeated death threats from organized crime groups. He said he had received new threats a few days before the attack, after he announced that the next episode of “Report” would expose fresh details on political and mafia corruption.

“The bomb attack against Sigfrido Ranucci underscores the growing dangers journalists face in Italy,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative. “Authorities must swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice, ensure Ranucci and his family’s safety, and strengthen protection for all journalists under threat.”

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the bombing as “a serious act of intimidation.” Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Ranucci’s security measures would be raised to the highest level.

According to Ossigeno per l’Informazione, an Italian NGO that monitors threats against journalists, there were 516 threats and attacks against the media in 2024. The group said that Italy has highest number of journalists threatened and under police protection in Europe. About 20 journalists live under 24-hour police escort, and roughly 200 receive some form of security. Federica Angeli, a reporter for la Repubblica, told CPJ in 2019 that while the protection system is effective, it is also “a way for the mafia to kill proper reporting — by preventing journalists from doing their work.”

CPJ emailed the Rome anti-mafia prosecutor’s office and the Interior Ministry for comment on the investigation and enhanced security measures but received no response.