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Gagging the truth
24/11/05:
The news that the attorney general has threatened the editors of national newspapers with the Official Secrets Act if they revealed the contents of a document about a dispute between Tony Blair and George Bush over ‘military action’ against the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera should come as no surprise. This is the same government that gave the green light to the prosecution of MI5 whistleblower David Shayler and tried, but eventually failed, to prosecute GCHQ whistleblower Katharine Gun.
Although no national newspaper was charged under the Official Secrets Act for publishing material provided by David Shayler, the current revelations, if published in full would cause the government huge embarrassment.
But just a minute, the Official Secrets Act is supposed to be about protecting national security (although that it not really defined in the legislation). Here the Act it is being used for all to see to gag the media, a cover up to avoid further political embarrassment. Not only is the government’s action unprecedented, it is also a cowardly and miserable attempt to perpetuate the lies we have been told, in contrast to the realities of the Iraq war.
The actions of Leo O’Connor and David Keogh, who have been charged under the Official Secrets Act and are due to appear before Bow Street magistrates in London next week should be appalled by all who believe in a democratic and open society. Peter Kilfoyle, former defence minister is quite right to have tabled a Commons motion demanding that Tony Blair should publish the record of his discussions with President Bush.
It’s just possible that the ‘offending documents’ may be published somewhere on the Internet ‘in the public interest’. We shall see. Then of course there is always Boris Johnson’s offer to publish, but is not soliciting the document technically an offence under the OSA as it is incitement? This is a fast moving story. Developments are awaited with interest. But one thing is clear; The Official Secrets Act in its present form has to go.
Barry White
National Organiser CPBF.
Last modified: Thursday, November 24, 2005
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Notices
Events & Announcements
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.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
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
Free Speech & Censorship
Borris Johnson vows 'I'll go to jail to print the truth'
UK paper gagged over Aljazeera memo
Freedom of Information Blockage
FoI training from the Campaign for Freedom of information
Journalists worldwide protest Canada's news lockout
Australia gets tough on journalists
Government to consult over Freedom of Information and the PCC
A law unto itself
Community Newspaper uses FoI Act
Open the Books!
Freedom of speech - the global challenge
IFEX handbook on free expression campaigns
A message from the McLibel two
Using FoI
Freedom At Last?
Congratulations
Lobbying, FoI and News International
