European governments urged to review impact of anti-terror laws on press freedom

Ministers from the human rights network of the Council of Europe have called on their governments to review anti-terrorism laws in following claims by journalists that they are limiting press freedom.
Meeting in Reykjavik the 1st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and New Communications Services agreed that the time was right to assess the impact of terror laws enacted since attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.
"This recommendation sends a strong message," said Aidan White, European Federation of Journalists general secretary. "European governments need to act now to repair the damage done to civil liberties by the rush to legislate over the threat of terrorism."
The EFJ has taken up the case of Suzanne Breen, Northern Ireland editor of the Sunday Tribune who is fighting a court application by police in Belfast to hand over material related to her reports on the Real IRA.
The EFJ warned that the case illustrated how the law is being used to force journalists to reveal their source of information.
"Journalists in the UK and Ireland protest that the safety of this journalist as well as press freedom are at risk by this case," said White. "It is intolerable pressure on press rights."
At a rally in support of Suzanne Breen in London last week, Jo Glanville, of Index on Censorship, warned police were increasingly pursuing journalists' material as part of counter terrorism operations.
Story via NUJ website.