Dear all,
The Campaign for Freedom of Information and ARTICLE 19 have circulated a briefing to MPs on the National Security Bill, which has its 2nd reading today.
The briefing deals with one main issue: the fact that journalists and those working for civil society organisations who receive some funding from foreign governments are at risk of committing offences under the bill for which the maximum sentence is life imprisonment. The offence would be committed by disclosing leaked information that would prejudice the ‘safety or interests of’ the UK. Ministers alone decide what falls within that description.
The identical actions by people who are not in receipt of foreign government funding might not be an offence at all.
Best wishes,
Katherine
Katherine Gundersen
Campaign for Freedom of Information
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