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'A shocking abuse of journalists’ rights and press freedom'
14 January 2005
14/1/2005: The International Federation of Journalists and its regional body the European Federation of Journalists have condemned a double police raid on two French newspapers as a “a shocking abuse of journalists rights.”
“It is a black day for democracy and press freedom when police storm into a newspaper and haul away computers to find out who reporters have been talking to,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.
On 13 January, 2005, an examining magistrate led a team of ten police on a search of the weekly Le Point offices in Paris. At the same time a similar raid was being carried out at the offices of the sports daily l'Equipe.
“These raids are a violation of the right of journalists to protect their sources,” said White.
Police carried out the raids as part of an investigation into an alleged "violation of the confidentiality of an investigation" concerning a doping scandal involving the cycle team Cofidis. Earlier, Le Point published extracts from telephone conversations, which had been tapped as part of a police investigation into the doping scandal. L'Equipe last year published extensive extracts of official interviews with several Cofidis riders, some of whom were under investigation.
The IFJ says that journalists have a legitimate professional interest to follow closely these stories and to report without suffering any intimidation.
“It seems that the police are trawling through the files of newspapers to try to get the names and details of people who have been dealing with journalists on this story, “ said White. “That smacks of using reporters as an involuntary police force and threatens press freedom by scaring people from talking to journalists.”
The IFJ is campaigning across Europe for more respect of journalists’ right to protect their sources and is supporting the German journalists Hans Martin Tillack of Stern magazine in his battle with the European Union and the Belgian police over attempts to get information about his informants on financial corruption stories at the European Commission.
“Police must not go fishing through journalists’ files,” said White. “Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides protection for journalists and the police should be the first to respect that.”
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Last modified: Monday, March 14, 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
International
MEDIA MONITOR: Justice for Vanunu
MEDIA MONITOR: Thumbs Down for Berlusconi
More MidEast links
The National Conference on Media Reform - 7-9 November 2003
Who does he think he is?
Latest GATS News
EU line on GATS shows up UK
LEGALISED PIRACY
The Shayler Trial
Legalised Piracy
The Response of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom to the Department of Trade and Industry Consultation Document Liberalising Trade in Services.
Public service broadcasting measures threatened by free trade agreement
