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Suzanne Breen victory doesn't end the fight

The sign of relief that went around newsrooms in Britain must have been palpable when a Belfast court ruled that journalist Suzanne Breen did not have to reveal her sources.

This was no academic debate, but a life and death situation for the professional journalist and mother-of-one toddler - and all right-thinking people will be glad it was made.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had sought a court order forcing Breen, Northern Ireland editor of the Dublin-based Sunday Tribune, to hand over her mobile telephone, computer records and notes about the Real IRA following publication of stories relating to the murders of two soldier in Antrim.

Breen had received a telephone call by a person giving a recognised code word claiming responsibility for the murders. In demanding that Breen hand over her notes the PSNI was fully aware that, had she done so, Breen would have placed her own life and the life of her partner and 14-month old child at risk.

When the story turned to a court case the Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) pointed out that this would be a breach of Breen's rights under the European Convention. The judge agreed, but went a step further in saying that the material held by the journalist was also exempt under the Terrorism Act 2000, upholding an important principle in relation to journalistic material.

I was incredulous when the evidence given by the police asking for this order was given in private and yet their solicitors had the temerity to claim that the life of Breen and her family were not at risk. Do they not live in the real world?

Fortunately the judge accepted Breen's claim that the murderers would have no problem in taking direct action to silence her and specifically noted that the PSNI had not accepted his invitation to place evidence to counter any of her evidence.

Breen and her editor, Noirin Hegarty, had already said that any evidence relevant to the police investigation was already in the public domain. I now wait - rather cynically - to see if they appeal and throw more good taxpayers' money after bad.

The CIoJ supported the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) absolutely in fighting this case and it was commendable that Breen received support from all quarters, because journalists fight for democracy and uncover wrongdoing every day.

We all realised that this case mattered and we were heartily relieved at the outcome, but we do not forgive the police actions. Nor will we, as a union, stop fighting for changes in the laws, which have been rushed through and turned the rights of all citizens - including journalists, editors and photographers - into confetti.

The trouble with this paperwork is that the wrong move could have a death sentence for one who is only trying to carry on the fight to let the public know what is happening. Adds a chilling thought to kill the messenger...

Liz Justice is president of the Chartered Institute for Journalists (CIoJ).

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northern ireland | chartered institute of journalists | cioj | suzanne breen |

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