Index on Censorship » protection of sources

USA: Justice dept appeal in fresh bid for New York Times reporter’s sources

Alice Purkiss — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:39:09 +0000

A New York Times reporter may be forced to reveal his sources, despite a ruling which said his testimony was protected by reporters privilege. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice asked a federal appeals court to force James Risen to testify about his sources in the trial of a CIA officer who was accused of leaking top secret information. In the hearing, federal prosecutors appealed the ruling from a US District court on 29 July that Risen did not have to reveal his sources in the trial of ex-CIA officer Jeffrey Stirling. Risen’s lawyer Joel Kurtzberg has said they will fight the appeal.

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Investigative journalist wins damages in libel case against NUJ

Laura MacPhee — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:53:47 +0000

Suzanne Breen has been awarded damages in her libel case against the National Union of Journalists. She brought an action for defamation against the NUJ when the union’s magazine published a member’s letter concerning her stance on protecting sources in articles about the Real IRA. The settlement also included an apology and a retraction.

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Ukrainian journalist recovers some seized equipment

Intern — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:20:51 +0000

Journalist and blogger Olena Bilozerska has managed to recover some of the equipment and material which was illegally seized from her home in Kiev on 12 January. The police interrogation on 8 February included questions about her sources. The police returned some items but have kept 162 CDs and DVDs which contain material needed for her work. She regained her camera and video camera, neither of which was working. The authorities also returned her computer, which had been dismantled.

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Luxembourg: Seized media documents returned

Index on Censorship — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A judge has ruled seized media documents should be returned to Luxembourg’s Portuguese weekly magazine, Contacto. The documents, surrounding a social services case were seized last week and described as a “blatant breach of protection of sources” and a attack on freedom of the press. Read more here

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Judge upholds reporter’s right to protect sources

Natasha Schmidt — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:55:35 +0000

Washington Times reporter Bill Gertz faces the possibility of a grand jury subpoena despite a Californian federal judgment supporting his right to protect confidential sources on 25 July. Gertz refused to answer questions about confidential sources used in a 16 May 2006 article about a Chinese espionage case, citing his First Amendment rights. The federal prosecutor told the court that the Justice Department is pursuing a separate grand jury investigation of the leak and indicated Gertz may be subpoenaed in that probe. Gertz’s article had cited unnamed ‘US government officials’ as sources. Federal Judge Carney ultimately ruled that ‘freedom of the press is a paramount interest’ and that Gertz was performing a public service by reporting on the Chi Mak case. Read more

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