NUJ in talks with Sun Journalists about recourse after News International allows police access to staff emails
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has offered to support journalists at The Sun after the company allowed police access to its staffs emails.
Following the decision to open up its emails to police, a move the NUJ has already described as ‘a betrayal’ the union has revealed that it has been revealed by ‘a group of journalists’ from the newspaper and is now exploring ways off supporting them, including legal action.
“We recognise that NISA officials are trying their best for staff, but they have no chance because they are seen as creatures of Rupert Murdoch’s management,” commented Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary. “The NUJ can defend staff at the Sun, and elsewhere in News International, and represent them against a management that seems prepared to throw them to the wolves. It is not an exaggeration to say that if journalists are not allowed to offer protection to their sources – often brave people who are raising their heads above the parapet to disclose information – then the free press in the UK is dead.
"The protection of sources is an essential principle which has been repeatedly reaffirmed by the European Court of Human Rights as the cornerstone of press freedom and the NUJ shall defend it. In 2007 a judge made it clear that journalists and their sources are protected under article 10 of the Human Rights Act and it applies to leaked material,” added Stanistreet who also revealed that she would be writing to both management at News Corporation and the Standards Committee to ask what authority it had to disclose the information.
News International members will also be contacted and invited to join the Union.