Sentenced for Libel
SIR,—Mr. Osbert Hastings's admirable article 'The Priest and the Layman,' in your issue of Novem- ber 5, was devoted in part to the plight of Danilo Dolci, who faces charges of libel brought by Signor Bernardo Mattarella, Minister of Foreign Trade. Dolci has publicly accused the minister of 'close personal relations with—as well as political de- pendence upon—the Sicilian mafia.'
I faced similar charges brought by the same minister (then Minister of Posts and Communica- tions) in 1957, and in addition to a substantial fine 1 was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment. This was the result of allegations claimed to have been made against him in my book God Protect Me from My Friends, published in England in 1956 and in Italy in 1957. There is one very important point that Mr. Hastings does not make clear— these are criminal libel proceedings, and their object is not to recompense the claimant but to punish the defendant if he is found guilty. In February 1965, nine years after the publication of my book, and eight years after the appearance of its Italian translation and Signor Mattarella's successful action against me in Italy, his friend Prince Gianfranco Alliata di Montereale was claimant against me on similar grounds in the Queen's Bench Division in London. His misconception of British law became evident in court when he stated that he wished me and my publishers to be 'severamente puniti.' It was explained to him that this was not a criminal charge in British law, and that there was no question of punishment but only of compensating him for his possible loss of reputation in England. The jury found for the claimant with costs against the de- fendants, but awarded negligible damages. Prince Alliata was not a public figure in England.
By contrast, Bernardo Mattarella is extremely well known in Italy, and Dolci's punishment for publishing what he must without doubt have be- lieved to be true (his sincerity is beyond question) could be extremely severe. Dolci himself must know this, and it would be as well if his supporters in this country were equally aware of the position into which he has voluntarily put himself.
Sandaig, by Kyle, Ross
GAVIN MAXWELL
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