UK: Journalists and photographers concerned over ambiguous surveillance guidelines
Posted by Liam Berkowitz on July 4, 2008 at 10:12 AM
UK journalists and photographers may be subject to police monitoring and restriction from covering public events, HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk reports.
According to Home Secretary Jaqui Smith, the Home Office has no guidelines on photography in public places, but "decisions may be made locally to restrict or monitor photography in reasonable circumstances."
"It is for the local Chief Constable to decide how his or her officers and employees should best balance the rights to freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the need for public protection," Smith said.
National Union of Journalists General Secretary Jeremy Dear says the Home Office is not doing enough to clearly define the limits of monitoring and restriction.
"Whilst the government can say these are operational issues for the police," Dear said, "It should be made clear that the routine surveillance of journalists is unacceptable and an infringement of media freedom."
Source: HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk
According to Home Secretary Jaqui Smith, the Home Office has no guidelines on photography in public places, but "decisions may be made locally to restrict or monitor photography in reasonable circumstances."
"It is for the local Chief Constable to decide how his or her officers and employees should best balance the rights to freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the need for public protection," Smith said.
National Union of Journalists General Secretary Jeremy Dear says the Home Office is not doing enough to clearly define the limits of monitoring and restriction.
"Whilst the government can say these are operational issues for the police," Dear said, "It should be made clear that the routine surveillance of journalists is unacceptable and an infringement of media freedom."
Source: HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk
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