Amid the Vatileaks 2 trial at the Vatican, Father Lombardi has issued a lengthy defense of the Vatican City State courts. It begins,

In recent weeks, since the opening of the trial for the dissemination of reserved documents commonly known as “Vatileaks 2”, many observations and evaluations have been written regarding the judicial system of Vatican City State and in particular on the Tribunal where this trial and its related procedures are taking place. Since many of these observations are inappropriate, or at times entirely unjustified, it would appear opportune to offer some considerations enabling a clearer view and a more just evaluation of this fundamental aspect of the situation.

Read the whole thing there.

We note merely that it is extraordinary—to our mind, anyway—that a press office would issue such a lengthy defense of a sovereign state’s courts. For example, if foreign defendants were haled into United States District Court for similar offenses under the Espionage Act of 1917, it would surprise us very much if the court’s public information officer issued a defense of the procedures employed by the court, including the rights of the accused and the qualifications of advocates.