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Media gagged in the case of Daniel James
Michael John Smith
Since the arrest of Daniel James, in December 2006, there was an intitial flurry of very similar reports spreading news of what this case was about. None of the reports published any details describing what evidence was considered so damaging to national security that Daniel had been arrested under the Official Secrets Act. This week Daniel's trial was postponed, and currently we have no idea when he will finally face the charges, presumably behind "in camera" closed court conditions. Already he has served the equivalent of a two and a half year sentence without being convicted. One important issue, which led to Daniel's outburst in Court last July, was his demand for a Court Martial, which was his right as a serving soldier. The Attorney General decided that Daniel should not be allowed that choice, and instead decided the case should go before a Crown Court. The background to Daniel's arrest was political, and is more about the relationship between British and USA forces in Afghanistan than anything do do with national security. The US did not want General David Richards in command over their tropps, and so a spy case was very convenient to show that General Richards was not to be trusted. The press have been gagged from reporting these events.
Last modified: Friday, May 30, 2008
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World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
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Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Government Policy
Does convergence matter?
Civil servant faces official secrets trial
New Threat to Media Freedom
Blair's farewell: No politician can live by spin alone
Government response to Public Voice Petition on Digital Dividend
New Media services should not be regulated like TV, says Lords Committee
IFJ Alarmed by Western Attacks on Whistleblowers and Investigative Journalism
Current Affairs and Ofcom
From The Files
Minister backs BBC Arabic TV
Terror Bill 'a threat to press freedom' says CPBF
Inquiry into new media and the creative industries
OFT and Magazine Distribution
Sewn Up: Media Policy Excludes Public
Important Campaign pamphlets available...
Make the Media an Election Issue
Freedom of Information from the FoI Campaign
Their Lordships have their say on digital switchover...
Right of Reply and Press Standards Bill
Threats to the BBC
BBC Conference
IFJ condemns BBC threat to public service
Journalism and Trust
Save Public Broadcasting
The future of non-commercial local radio & tv
BBC Charter review hearings
DCMS review of BBC digital radio published
Is Wife Swap a public service programme?
Public Service Broadcasting Campaign: E-activism site launched
A new framework for Public Service Broadcasting
