In a 20 March 2000 letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, IPI expressed its great concern over the threats posed to “The Observer” and “The Guardian” newspapers as a result of the government’s actions in the matter of David Shayler, a former MI5 (Britainâs security service) officer now residing in France. It is IPI’s understanding, […]
In a 20 March 2000 letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, IPI expressed its great concern over the threats posed to “The Observer” and “The Guardian” newspapers as a result of the government’s actions in the matter of David Shayler, a former MI5 (Britainâs security service) officer now residing in France.
It is IPI’s understanding, that as the result of a 17 March court hearing, “The Observer” is now legally required to hand over all e-mail messages between its reporter, Martin Bright, and Shayler. Bright, proceeded against separately, is also required to hand over his relevant notebooks. Furthermore, “The Guardian” is required to supply government authorities with the actual copy of a letter for publication from Shayler (which has already been published).
According to IPI, in none of these instances can there be any question of the papers’ withholding information which is not already in the prime minister’s possession or the possession of his home secretary and security services. On the contrary, this affair seems merely to denote a gathering of formal evidence for some as yet notional court case against Shayler (should that ever happen).
The impact for “The Observer” and “The Guardian”, however, is chilling. IPI notes that the press code of every democratic country stipulates that journalists have an obligation to protect their sources – not for their own sake, but to ensure the free flow of information on which journalism depends. These duties are further reflected in international agreements, including the European Convention of Human Rights. It is IPI’s firm belief that “The Observer” and “The Guardian” would win an appeal in the European Court of Human Rights if they decided to pursue that avenue.
By seeking to over-ride these obligations in a case where no new information of substance is even concerned, the British government is sending out the worst possible signal. Its actions are bound, by their implications, to cause fear amongst vital journalistic sources in the future. The action seems, under all circumstances, to amount to a harassment of the papers and the reporters concerned for no other reason than to deter free investigation into crucial areas of policy.
Furthermore, IPI is deeply concerned about the example such proceedings set internationally in a world where undemocratic governments constantly resort to gagging orders and the like, seeking, spuriously, to cite some Western precedents. IPI has no doubt that the British government’s action will be used time and again to jail or threaten journalists in other countries and is genuinely alarmed at this prospect.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the prime minister:
– urging His Excellency, as an avowed exponent of press freedom, and speaker at IPI occasions in the past, to realise the grave damage that these proceedings are causing and to do everything in his power to end this distressing episode
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London WC 1
UK
Fax: +44 171 925 0918
Webpage: http://www/number-10.gov.uk/
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
