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PRESS FREEDOM AND INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM UNDER THREAT

A German Supreme Court decision in late February to give prosecutors the right to raid the homes and offices of freelance journalists and to seize materials without an official warrant is dangerous and threatens press freedom, says the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), in a report circulated by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

"Freelance journalists will live in fear of a knock on the door from the police whenever they are engaged in investigation of corruption or illegal activities," said Gustl Glattfelder, chairman of the EFJ, Europe's largest journalists' group.

According to the report, the ruling gives freelance reporters less legal protection than editorial offices of media outlets, and would affect almost half of Germany's working journalists.

"Throughout Europe journalists are intimidated and pressured into giving up material and information they get in the course of legitimate journalistic work. We are not the police and we resent being forced to act in any way which compromises our independence as journalists," said Glattfelder.

"This court decision will make life even harder for journalists and threaten our obligation to protect confidentiality of sources." The Court ruling came in a case about reporting on a terrorist organisation, but will apply to future cases and will allow prosecutors to take action against freelance journalists.

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- EFJ: http://www.efj.org