Protection of Sources

In recent years we have seen journalists have their phones illegally tapped or threatened with legal prosecution by the Belgian company Interbrew to reveal their source.

In addition, a whole raft of new legislation is being enacted throughout the continent in response to the War Against Terrorism that directly undermines the rights of journalists.
This increasing pressure threatens a fundamental shift in the traditional rights of journalists’ vis à vis the authorities and their ability to perform their ‘watchdog role’.
All of these cases undermine the Council of Europe recommendations on the right of Journalists to protect their Sources, viewed as a ‘cornerstone of press freedom’ by the ECHR in the Goodwin Vs UK case of 1996.

In response, the Steering Committee of the European Federation of Journalists has called for a campaign on Protection of Sources. It will be set in the framework of the IFJ Quality campaign.

EFJ Policy Document on Protection of Sources (in French) (updated 2013)

NEW - NUJ Campaign for Protection of Sources (April 2012)

Download the report by Dick VOORHOOF, Ghent University (2012 update)