Dozens of Australian journalist face charges over sex trial

MELBOURNE, Australia – Lawyers say an Australian state prosecutor has sent letters threatening to charge media organizations and dozens of journalists with breaching a gag order that banned reporting of Cardinal George Pell's convictions on charges of sexually molesting two choirboys.

Reporting in any format accessible from Australia of details of the former Vatican economy chief's convictions in a Melbourne court in December was banned by a judge's suppression order that was only lifted this week.

Suppression order expert Jason Bosland said on Thursday that the Victoria state director of public prosecutions has written more than 100 letters to journalists and media organizations advising that she intends to charge them.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to comment.