RSS
European Court Of Human Rights Says Press Can Protect Anonymous Sources
from the common-sense dept
While here in the US, we're still fighting over a federal shield law that will let journalists protect their sources, Michael Scott points us to the news that the European Court of Human Rights recently ruled that the media can protect anonymous sources.
The Court reiterates that freedom of expression constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and that, in that context, the safeguards guaranteed to the press are particularly important. Furthermore, protection of journalistic sources is one of the basic conditions for press freedom. Without such protection, sources may be deterred from assisting the press in informing the public on matters of public interest. As a result, the vital "public watchdog" role of the press may be undermined and the ability of the press to provide accurate and reliable reporting may be adversely affected. Having regard to the importance of the protection of journalistic sources for press freedom in a democratic society and the potentially chilling effect that an order for disclosure of a source has on the exercise of that freedom, such a measure cannot be compatible with Article 10 unless it is justified by an overriding requirement in the public interest.This is definitely a good thing, and a bit surprising, since Europe has, in the past, often been a bit less protective of the right to speak anonymously.
7 Comments | Leave a Comment..
If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...
- Meltwater Partially Wins One Lawsuit, Gets Sued By AP In Another For Daring To Aggregate News
- Sky News Tells Reporters Not To Use Twitter To Break News Without Permission
- Mass Protests Against ACTA All Across Europe
- It's Time To Let Politicians Know That Using Secretive Trade Agreements To Meddle With The Internet Is Unacceptable
- 'The Economist' And 'Financial Times' Already Writing Off ACTA As Dead
Reader Comments (rss)
(Flattened / Threaded)
No 4th Branch
Does this Article 10 for the EU give the press some sort of a role? I'm unfamiliar with EU laws.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
On a brighter note, the court has recognized under its "human rights" jurisprudence that Article 1 of the governing Convention directed to property does extend to intellectual property.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
That's not a bright note, that's a dark note. Intellectual property does not help most individuals as much as it hurts them, it only helps rich and powerful corporations and more specifically the rich and the powerful at public expense.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: No 4th Branch
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Courts in the U.S.
Besides the constitution also say that even without a law the public still have rights that are not in the constitution.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
In other news...
Happy non-denominational seasonal festival, and to all of you comrades wasting papaer wrapping your presents please remember if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear, so why hide the pressies?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Add Your Comment