Sunday, February 13, 2011

Trust Strasbourg to protect our civil rights, not politicians or judges

The European court of human rights has defended freedom of our press more successfully than MPs or judges

You can see why panicky politicians and self-important British judges don't love the European court of human rights. Too many rocks, too few soft places to hide. But journalists? With the Daily Mail, good heavens, hailing "The Day We Stood Up to Europe" and leading the amnesiac charge? Remember Thalidomide and the great Sunday Times triumph in helping its victims: that only came at Strasbourg. Remember Spycatcher and HMG's ludicrous pursuit of this paper. Strasbourg again. You don't have to strive to remember, only last year, a signal ruling on protection of sources (against the Dutch government) that altered the whole balance of enforced disclosure across Europe, or the verdict that freed a Spanish editor, from a nightmare of Moroccan and Madrid judicial pursuit, after battling for 15 years. You haven't had time to forget only three weeks back how the Daily Mirror's Naomi Campbell victory over no win, no ridiculous fees set the Society of Editors (chaired by the Daily Mail) hopping with relief. Thank you again Strasbourg.

Leave British press freedoms and human rights to our own dear judges and MPs? Britain's Thalidomide victims would still be waiting for their cheques.


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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/13/european-court-human-rights-media

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