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n1 writes:

Campaigners have expressed outrage at new proposals that could lead to journalists being jailed for up to 14 years for obtaining leaked official documents. The major overhaul of the Official Secrets Act – to be replaced by an updated Espionage Act – would give courts the power to increase jail terms against journalists receiving official material. The new law, should it get approval, would see documents containing "sensitive information" about the economy fall foul of national security laws for the first time.

In theory a journalist leaked Brexit documents deemed harmful to the UK economy could be jailed as a consequence.

[...] John Cooper QC, a leading criminal and human rights barrister who has served on two law commission working parties, added: "These reforms would potentially undermine some of the most important principles of an open democracy."

[...] "It is shocking that so few organisations were consulted on these proposed changes given the huge implications for public interest journalism in this country," said Ms Ginsberg.

The Law Commission sought advice from media groups including Guardian Media as well as civil liberties groups including Liberty and Open Rights Group. Other groups consulted included the intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 as well as several government departments and senior politicians and lawyers.

[...] The Law Commission recommendations state that there should be "no restriction on who can commit the offence," including hackers, politicians and journalists.

[...] A Law Commission spokesman said it was "both misleading and incorrect" to suggest journalists were at any greater risk under the planned law changes.

Source: The Telegraph

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