Open letter: EU Council must protect journalists against spyware and surveillance in the Media Freedom Act
Credits: Aris Oikonomou / AFP
The latest draft compromise text of the EU Council on the European Media Freedom Act provides for a ‘national security’ exception – introduced by France – to the general ban on deploying spyware against journalists without guarantees for the protection of sources.
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliates and other civil society organisations in urging Member States to reconsider their current position and take steps to meaningfully protect journalists and their fundamental rights.
To ensure that the Regulation protects journalists and their fundamental rights, the Council must instead:
- eliminate the exception for “national security”
- restrict the list of crimes that allows repressive measures against journalists and journalistic sources and prohibit the deployment of spyware
- include strong legal safeguards to protect and respect free and independent journalistic work.
