Sweeping reforms to the Official Secrets Act could criminalise public interest journalism by exposing journalists and whistle blowers to harsh new penalties such as lengthy prison sentences, the News Media Association said today. Responding to the Home Office’s consultation on legislation to counter state threats, , the NMA warned that proposals for stiffer custodial sentences and widening the scope for prosecuting individuals could open the floodgates to the media and its sources being prosecuted despite acting in the public interest. Instead of implementing these draconian measures, a public interest defence should be introduced to the regime to protect freedom of speech and a new Statutory Commissioner could be created to provide swift redress for whistle-blowers caught by the Official Secrets Act.
Sayra-tekin
Home-office
News-media-association
Law-commission
Official-secrets-act
Statutory-commissioner
Official-secrets
சாயிர-டெக்கின்
வீடு-அலுவலகம்
செய்தி-மீடியா-சங்கம்
சட்டம்-தரகு
அதிகாரி-ரகசியங்கள்-நாடகம்