Journalists from Italy’s public broadcaster RAI went on strike Monday protesting budget cuts and the “suffocating control” of the Meloni government in their work.  The striking journalists have cited alleged acts of censorship and criminal investigations. Not all journalists at the broadcaster joined the strikes, and a reduced schedule of newscasts is still being aired.

The journalists are also rallying against the company’s budget measures, which have included hiring freezes, job cuts through attrition and organisational restructuring. In a statement, RAI defended the measures and said that it was committed to safeguarding the values ​​of pluralism and freedom of expression.

The strike comes just a few days after Italy was downgraded five slots by Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) annual World Press Freedom Index, dropping to number 46. The report cited ongoing threats to press freedoms, due to pressure from mafia and extremist groups, as well as laws that stifle the reporting of court cases.

RSF’s report also referenced Giorgia Meloni’s government as exemplifying the global trend of certain political factions stoking distrust of journalists by “insulting them, discrediting them, and threatening them.”

Two weeks ago, Italian author, Antonio Scurati, accused the network of censorship after his antifascist monologue was cut. He denounced it as a clear illustration of the government’s purported influence over the state broadcaster. He told the Guardian that:

This episode is the definitive demonstration, as it has finally aroused the revolt of other writers, intellectuals and journalists who until now kept quiet…This government launches violent personal attacks against you for speaking out