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Artists and politicians support protection of sources
NUJ news release
DATELINE: 9/6/09
Hundreds of politicians, human rights campaigners, celebrities and journalists have joined forces to support NUJ member Suzanne Breen - who faces jail if she refuses to hand over material to police in Northern Ireland.They are among 5,000 people who have signed petitions backing the Sunday Tribune Northern Editor's refusal to hand over background information on stories about the Real IRA. Investigative journalist John Pilger, actor Stephen Rea, singer Christy Moore, and Booker prize-winning writer Roddy Doyle are among those supporting Suzanne.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has applied under the Terrorism Act for Suzanne to hand over phones, computers and notes. She faces up to five years in jail for not complying. The case will be heard in Belfast on Thursday 11 June.
The full list of influential supporters was published in the Sunday Tribune yesterday. It includes politicians from Northern Ireland's unionist and nationalist traditions.
There is also an online petition that everyone can sign and hard copies can be printed out and distributed.
Jeremy Dear, NUJ General Secretary, said: "Suzanne is sticking to the NUJ's Code of Conduct and we support her 100 percent. If journalists give up their sources to the state it will stop whistleblowers coming forward and make it impossible for the media to scrutinise those in power. It is also a matter of honour and personal safety for journalists who give their word to contacts that sources will be treated as confidential. I call on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to stop this legal action which is an attempt to intimidate Suzanne and a waste of time and money."
The NUJ is organising demonstrations in Belfast and London to coincide with Thursday's court hearing. Please gather at 9.15am outside:
The Laganside Courts, 45 Oxford Street, Belfast. BT1 3LL - opposite the Waterfront Hall.
The Northern Ireland Office, 11 Millbank, London SW1P 4PN – where the petition will be handed in.
Last modified: Tuesday, June 9, 2009
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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
Journalism
Media unions condemn attack on journalists' sources in UK
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Ofcom website - the uk's broadcasting and telecoms regulator
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ideosphere: non-profit media consultancy (sweden)
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