Luxembourg appeals verdict in LuxLeaks scandal

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is shocked by the decision of the public prosecutor on 2 August  to open a counter-appeal against Antoine Deltour, Raphaël Halet and Edouard Perrin, the two whistleblowers and the journalist involved in the so-called ‘‘LuxLeaks scandal’’. The EFJ and its French affiliates the Syndicat National des Journalistes (SNJ) and the SNJ-CGT believe the appeal is targeting at the investigative journalist Edouard Perrin who was set free by the court in June. Mogens Blicher Bjerregard, the EFJ President said, ‘‘it is unbelievable that the government is determined to use more public resources in order to pursue Perrin who was acted in the public…

LuxLeaks verdict gives the wrong signal for potential whistleblowers

Suspended jail sentences for whistleblowers (12 months and 1.500 EUR penalty for Antoine Deltour and 9 months and 1.000 EUR penalty for Raphaël Halet) and acquittal for the investigative journalist (Edouard Perrin), that’s the verdict of Luxembourg court in the LuxLeaks case. Judges in Luxembourg delivered today (29/06/2016) a verdict in LuxLeaks case related to the prosecution of two whistleblowers and a journalist for disclosing confidential documents from auditing firm PwC that showed how 340 multinational companies used secret tax deals to avoid paying into the public coffers. A European Parliament’s study estimates that EU countries lose 50 billion to 70 billion EUR in tax…

EFJ asks Luxembourg drop charges against journalist over LuxLeaks

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today condemned the Luxembourg authorities for accusing the French journalist, Édouard Perrin, of disclosing confidential information of the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) about custom made tax deals for multinational corporations known as LuxLeaks. According to the indictment issued by the investigating judge, on 23 April, Perrin was charged for being a “co-author, if not an accomplice, in infractions committed by one of PwC’s former employees”. Ricardo Gutierrez, the EFJ General Secretary said, “It is shameful that the Luxembourg authorities are going after a journalist who has acted entirely in the public interest to publish the information. The authorities…