The Media Association of T&T (Matt) has expressed concern that the Cyber Crime Bill (2014) contains provisions to charge journalists and their sources for electronic tip-offs.
In a release issued yesterday, Matt described the bill as a direct threat to press freedom and called for its immediate withdrawal to allow greater consultation with stakeholders.
“Particularly worrisome to Matt are those aspects of the bill that infringe on journalists’ freedom to gather and report information. The bill threatens to criminalise and imprison journalists who report on documents obtained from whistleblowers and to undermine the ethical obligation of journalists to protect the identities of confidential sources. This challenges the constitutionally enshrined rights of press freedom and the public’s right to free expression, key pillars on which our democracy stands,” the release stated.
Several clauses of the bill strike directly at the day-to-day professional activities of journalists and other civil society interests.
Clauses 9 and 13 threaten to stifle and criminalise journalists, whistleblowers and members of the public who receive, gain access to or share computer data from another person knowing that the other person has obtained the computer data through unauthorised means.
These laws can be used to prosecute journalists, whistleblowers and members of the public who reshare such material over the Internet.
Penalties range from $200,000 and three years imprisonment to $500,000 and five years imprisonment.
The T&T Publishers and Broadcasters Association has also expressed concerns.