Newspaper & Mailroom
Worlds Press Condemns Threat to Independent Reporting in Estonia
Wednesday 31. March 2010 - The leading global and European press and journalist organisations today called on EU-member Estonia to drop a proposal that would force journalists to reveal their sources, saying the move "poses a serious threat to freedom of the press."
“It would, in particular, have a significant negative impact on investigative journalism and articles based on information provided by whistleblowers,” said a letter to President Toomas Hendrik from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), the World Editors Forum, the European Newspaper Publishers Association (ENPA) and the European Federation of Journalists.
The organisations said the draft law violated Estonias treaty obligations, international standards of professional practice, and codes of journalism ethics, including The Code of Ethics of the Estonian Press.
Estonian Justice Minister Rein Lang introduced draft legislation to parliament last week that seeks to significantly reduce the protection afforded to journalists sources.
The law, if passed, would enable courts to jail journalists who fail to reveal their sources and to impose fines on newspapers solely on the suspicion that they intend to publish “potentially harmful information”.
Six leading Estonian newspapers published blank pages on 18 March to protest against the draft law.
The full letter read:
“We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries as well as on behalf of ENPA – European Newspaper Publishers Association which is the association of 29 newspaper publishers associations from 25 European countries including Estonia, to express our concern at a draft law that could expose journalists to jail and publishers to fines should they refuse to disclose their sources.
“Last week, Justice Minister Rein Lang introduced draft legislation to parliament that seeks to significantly reduce the protection afforded to journalists sources. The law, if passed, would enable courts to jail journalists who fail to reveal their sources and to impose fines on newspapers solely on the suspicion that they intend to publish “potentially harmful information”. On 18 March, six leading newspapers published blank pages to protest against the draft law.
“We are seriously concerned that this law poses a serious threat to freedom of the press. It would, in particular, have a significant negative impact on investigative journalism and articles based on information provided by whistleblowers. Furthermore, the draft law is in clear conflict with Estonias treaty obligations, international standards of professional practice and codes of journalism ethics, including The Code of Ethics of the Estonian Press.
“We respectfully call on you to do everything possible to ensure that the proposed unprecedented draft law is rejected in its current form and that amendments are introduced to provide full protection for journalists sources. We urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure that your country fully respects its international obligations and standards of press freedom.”