United Kingdom

First academy on media law in South East Europe to kick off in Zagreb ZAGREB, 31 May 2012 – The first academy on media law in South East Europe will open in Zagreb, Croatia, on Monday, 4 June, under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), with support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the […]

Universal Periodic Review: Challenge UK to end arbitrary use of defamation laws and other restrictive legislation On 24 May, the United Kingdom’s human rights record is going to be reviewed at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review. ARTICLE 19 has called upon the member states of the UN to urge the UK […]

Media Release 18 May 2012 IFJ Welcomes Journalists’ Victory in Police Application for Production of ‘Unbroadcast ‘Material The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed the decision of the High Court in London which ruled yesterday that journalists and media organisations in UK , including the BBC, ITN and Sky News cannot be compelled to […]

The bill, which will curb aggressive libel lawsuits and protect free expression for journalists, writers and scientists, is the first wholesale attempt at reform since 1843.

UK: Government promises defamation reform but backslides on expression and surveillance _ARTICLE 19 welcomes the promise of defamation reform in this week’s Queen’s Speech. However, we are concerned that a number of other bills included will unduly restrict freedom of expression in the UK._ The Queen’s Speech, in which the Queen reads the government’s legislative […]

*REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS / REPORTERS SANS FRONTIÈRES Press release / Communiqué de presse 11.05.2012* * English*: http://en.rsf.org/united-kingdom-open-letter-to-members-of-11-05-2012,42605.html *Français*: http://fr.rsf.org/royaume-uni-lettre-ouverte-aux-parlementaires-11-05-2012,42604.html *UNITED KINGDOM: Open letter to Members of Parliament on Internet surveillance* House of Commons – London SW1A 0AA Paris, 10 May 2012 Dear Members of Parliament, Re: Bill on the surveillance of electronic and telephone communications […]

CPJ data show that the country has been ranked the deadliest in the world for journalists for two consecutive years.

The Coalition Agreement that formed the current government clearly stated that IMP-style mass surveillance of the British public was unacceptable, but now the old policy seems to have risen from the grave as the innocuously-named Communications Capabilities Development Programme.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes UK Court of Appeal Decision on open justice _In a ruling released 3 April, the UK Court of Appeal reaffirmed that open justice – the right of the public and media to attend court hearings – is a fundamental constitutional principle, expanding it to include the right of the public to obtain […]

The Metropolitan Police are considering invoking the Official Secrets Acts to force journalists to reveal their sources.

The 30-day ban applies to any organisation planning to march in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington and the City.

The Act gives authorities broad powers to make information secret and prosecute those who release it without authorisation.

CPJ urges the U.K. to distance itself from responses taken in repressive countries to social unrest and instead, reaffirm its historical commitment to freedom of expression and of the press.

The provision of personal data to the police sets a disturbing precedent in a western country and could have significant consequences in terms of setting an example for other governments, says RSF.

Trust in journalism cannot survive unless illegal practices involving corruption and violation of people’s privacy are stamped out for good, says IFJ.

The review, chaired by the most senior civil law judge in the UK, provides new procedures on how to balance open justice and the right to privacy.