(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has protested against attempts by a US attorney’s office to have freelance journalist Josh Wolf held in contempt of court for refusing to surrender video footage he shot of violent anti-G8 demonstrations in San Francisco in July 2005. The request is to be heard before a federal court in San Francisco on […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has protested against attempts by a US attorney’s office to have freelance journalist Josh Wolf held in contempt of court for refusing to surrender video footage he shot of violent anti-G8 demonstrations in San Francisco in July 2005. The request is to be heard before a federal court in San Francisco on August 1 2006.
“This situation highlights how urgent it is for the US Congress to recognise the right of journalists to protect the confidentiality of their sources, a right that is absolutely essential to their work,” the press freedom organisation said. “This right is recognised in a number of US states but not at the federal level.”
RSF added: “As journalists are not police auxiliaries, Congress must quickly support the proposed federal shield law that would guarantee them ‘absolute privilege’ as regards the protection of their sources. The Free Flow of Information Act would extend the same protection to journalists at the federal level that they enjoy under similar laws in 49 states.”
Wolf filmed a police car being deliberately set on fire by protesters during anti-G8 demonstrations in the Mission District of San Francisco in July 2005. He posted his footage on his website and it was aired by Kron TV, an independent news station. After circulating on the Internet, it was picked up by national television networks such as ABC and CBS.
After seeing the published footage, assistant US attorney Jeffrey Finigan asked Wolf to hand over all of the unedited footage he had shot of the incident. Wolf denied having any more detailed footage and insisted that in any case he was protected by a Californian shield law under which journalists have the right to both protect the confidentiality of their sources and refuse to surrender unpublished material and notes.
At the 1 August civil contempt hearing, Wolf faces the possibility of immediate imprisonment as well as having to pay US$10,000 to US$15,000 in lawyers’ fees for his defence and for an appeal if the judge rules against him. Wolf told Reporters Without Borders he was pessimistic about the outcome, as the judge was very hostile towards him during an earlier, preliminary hearing.
At the same time, Wolf referred to the support he is receiving from the San Francisco municipal council, which is expected to pass a resolution on 1 August defending his rights as a journalist and calling on the federal authorities to respect the confidentiality of sources for the sake of press freedom, as laid down in the First Amendment to the US constitution.
