Protection of Sources

In recent years we have seen Danish journalists have their phones illegally tapped, British journalists threatened with legal prosecution by the Belgian company Interbrew to reveal the source of leaked business information and the Hague Tribunal subpoena journalists to take the stand in the prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic. Meanwhile, the Belgian Journalists union has brought a case before the European Court of Human Rights following searches by the authorities in media offices and the homes of five journalists in 1995.

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, 2008

Download the report - Dirk Voorhoof, Ghent University (Word - 151 Kb) (2005)

Download the report - Tim Gopsill, NUJ (Word - 31.5 )

Download the report - European Parliamentary Assembly (Word - 30.5 )

Download the report - Council of Ministers, Committee of Ministers (Word - 29Kb)

Download the report - EFJ Survey (Word - 48Kb)