The International Press Institute (IPI) has urged the T&T Government to take into account the concerns raised by media stakeholders over the proposed Cybercrime Bill 2015, when it meets today with the Media Association of T&T and T&T Publishers and Broadcasters’ Association on the contentious bill.
In a statement from Vienna yesterday, IPI director of Press Freedom Programmes Scott Griffen reiterated its position, first stated last summer, that Parliament must allow T&T media representatives the opportunity to highlight elements of the bill that may affect journalists’ ability to carry out their work.
He said: “As we have previously suggested, the dangers lurking in Clauses 9 and 13 of the Cybercrimes Bill are clear.
“Journalists should not face criminal prosecution for divulging information in the public interest and this Bill does not provide any safeguards against such prosecution. Our position is that the Bill in its current form is a threat to press freedom and the right to information in T&T and should not be passed.
“In order to improve the measure, it is essential that the Government and Parliament take into account the concerns of TTPBA and MATT, who understand the ways in which it may negatively affect their work.”
At issue are two clauses—9 and 13—intended to combat illegal data access but which critics warn could pressure journalists and whistleblowers into silence.
Under Clause 9, anyone who “without lawful excuse or justification” obtains privileged computer data faces up to five years in prison.
Likewise, under Clause 13, anyone who receives or is given access to privileged data from another person also faces up to five years in prison “regardless of whether or not he knows that the other person obtained the computer data through authorised or unauthorised means.”
Both MATT and the TTPBA had criticised what was seen as the Government’s failure to allow sufficient public consultation on the Bill, first introduced in May 2014 but dropped after similar complaints before it was brought back to the House last week.