Justice Minister reiterates importance of protection of journalists’ sources
Police: deliberate leaks of classified information rare
Tuija Brax
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Matti Vanhanen
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Jyrki Katainen
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Minister of Justice Tuija Brax (Green) is taking a cautious view of a proposal that would make it possible to break protection of journalists' sources of leaked confidential at the preliminary phase of police investigations. She suspects that the measure, drawn up by a working group of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior, cannot be passed without changes.
Brax would not give any detailed comment on Friday, because the government has agreed that ministers should not lock their positions on the issue while the matter is still under preparation.
Under the proposal, officials could force journalists to reveal their sources already at the preliminary investigation stage in cases in which legally mandated secrecy has been violated. Currently such disclosure requires a court order at trial.
“Protection of sources has an important role in keeping scrutiny on the activities of those in power... Neither democracy nor freedom of speech can work without the protection of sources.”
Brax emphasised that the proposal to weaken the protection of sources is “very sensitive” with respect to freedom of the press, and that the proposal of the working group has been sent to various interested parties for comment.
“In the proposal, the breaking of the protection of sources applies to finding out the leaks of information that profoundly hurt private individuals - for instance, a situation in which information is leaked from the police on individuals suspected of a crime, or if information on private individuals is leaked from the tax authorities”, is how Brax interprets the proposal.
The Minister of Justice pointed out that the ministry is drawing up a background report on the Nordic practices of source protection. In Sweden, for instance, the protection of journalistic sources is written into the country’s constitution.
Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (Nat. Coalition Party) was not available for comment on Friday, but sources close to her say that she largely takes the same view as Brax.
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) did not want to comment on the source protection issue on Friday.
Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, who is also the chairman of the National Coalition Party, had not acquainted himself with the proposal, and did not want to comment on the matter.
Opposition Social Democratic Party leader Jutta Urpilainen had also not read the proposal on Friday, but said that she takes a “cautiously critical” view of weakening the protection of journalistic sources.
Brax would not give any detailed comment on Friday, because the government has agreed that ministers should not lock their positions on the issue while the matter is still under preparation.
Under the proposal, officials could force journalists to reveal their sources already at the preliminary investigation stage in cases in which legally mandated secrecy has been violated. Currently such disclosure requires a court order at trial.
“Protection of sources has an important role in keeping scrutiny on the activities of those in power... Neither democracy nor freedom of speech can work without the protection of sources.”
Brax emphasised that the proposal to weaken the protection of sources is “very sensitive” with respect to freedom of the press, and that the proposal of the working group has been sent to various interested parties for comment.
“In the proposal, the breaking of the protection of sources applies to finding out the leaks of information that profoundly hurt private individuals - for instance, a situation in which information is leaked from the police on individuals suspected of a crime, or if information on private individuals is leaked from the tax authorities”, is how Brax interprets the proposal.
The Minister of Justice pointed out that the ministry is drawing up a background report on the Nordic practices of source protection. In Sweden, for instance, the protection of journalistic sources is written into the country’s constitution.
Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (Nat. Coalition Party) was not available for comment on Friday, but sources close to her say that she largely takes the same view as Brax.
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) did not want to comment on the source protection issue on Friday.
Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, who is also the chairman of the National Coalition Party, had not acquainted himself with the proposal, and did not want to comment on the matter.
Opposition Social Democratic Party leader Jutta Urpilainen had also not read the proposal on Friday, but said that she takes a “cautiously critical” view of weakening the protection of journalistic sources.
Helsingin Sanomat