Vatican spokesman rips complaints by Vatileaks defendant Chaouqui

May 26, 2016

The Vatican press office has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement to denounce public remarks by Francesca Chaouqui, one of the defendants in the "Vatileaks II" trial.

Chaouqui had lashed out against Archbishop Angelo Becciu, the deputy Secretary of State, claiming that he had engineered the arrests of Chaouqui and her co-defendants and that he was determined to see them convicted of leaking secret documents. 

In response Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, said that Chaouqui's accusations "are calumnious affirmations, they are absolutely unacceptable, and subject to legal action." He noted that his statement was not intended to prejudge the findings of the Vatican tribunal, but simply to protect the reputation of the archbishop.

During her most recent testimony, Chaouqui-- who has denied her involvement in leaking documents-- rebutted testimony by a police investigator that she had originally confessed giving documents to a journalist. She told the tribunal that she was referring to a social invitation that she sent to a journalist. 

 

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Further information:

• Statement on accusations made by Chaouqui (Vatican Radio)