Germany
Law could protect journalists who reveal state secretsPosted Apr 26 2010
German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger will propose a law that would give more security to journalists who use information disclosed by state government sources, Deutsche Welle, the country’s international broadcaster, reported the first week of April.
The law would redefine regulations for raids on news organizations and the confiscation of journalists’ possessions, according to the broadcaster. It would also change laws surrounding the release of state secrets by German independent media, an offense that can currently bring up to five years in prison.
IPI Deputy Director Alison Bethel McKenzie wrote on the IPI Blog: “…it is imperative that the country also look at other restrictive legislation, particularly that involving counterterrorism and the storage and use of telecommunications data. Still, one step is better than none.”
The cabinet will begin negotiations on the law in May.