This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-48537377
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australia media raids: Police do not rule out prosecuting journalists | Australia media raids: Police do not rule out prosecuting journalists |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Australian authorities say they have not decided whether they will prosecute journalists at the centre of controversial police raids. | Australian authorities say they have not decided whether they will prosecute journalists at the centre of controversial police raids. |
| Broadcasters and rights groups have condemned searches by police at the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) and a News Corp reporter's home this week. | Broadcasters and rights groups have condemned searches by police at the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) and a News Corp reporter's home this week. |
| They have criticised the seizures of documents as attacks on press freedom. | They have criticised the seizures of documents as attacks on press freedom. |
| News reports may have breached national security laws, the Australian Federal Police reiterated on Thursday. | News reports may have breached national security laws, the Australian Federal Police reiterated on Thursday. |
| What are the stories in question? | What are the stories in question? |
| Police searched the ABC's Sydney headquarters on Wednesday over a 2017 investigative series known as The Afghan Files. | Police searched the ABC's Sydney headquarters on Wednesday over a 2017 investigative series known as The Afghan Files. |
| According to the broadcaster, the series "revealed allegations of unlawful killings and misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan". | According to the broadcaster, the series "revealed allegations of unlawful killings and misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan". |
| Tuesday's search at the home of newspaper journalist Annika Smethurst related to her 2018 report about a government plan to spy on Australian citizens. | Tuesday's search at the home of newspaper journalist Annika Smethurst related to her 2018 report about a government plan to spy on Australian citizens. |
| What did police say on Thursday? | What did police say on Thursday? |
| In a press briefing, acting Commissioner Neil Gaughan defended the searches. He said they had related to stories where "top-secret and secret" government information had been published. | |
| "No sector of the community should be immune to this type of activity or evidence collection more broadly," he said. | "No sector of the community should be immune to this type of activity or evidence collection more broadly," he said. |
| Asked whether police intended to prosecute media representatives, he said: "We have not made a decision." | Asked whether police intended to prosecute media representatives, he said: "We have not made a decision." |
| However, the commissioner added that authorities would consider the "public interest" of the news reports before proceeding with any case. | However, the commissioner added that authorities would consider the "public interest" of the news reports before proceeding with any case. |
| What's been the backlash? | |
| Rights groups and other news organisations, including the BBC, have made protests over the police raids. | Rights groups and other news organisations, including the BBC, have made protests over the police raids. |
| The leading journalists' union in the country said the two raids represented a "disturbing pattern of assaults on Australian press freedom". Other unions and civil liberties groups also condemned the actions. | |
| The search of Ms Smethurst's home provoked anger from her employer News Corp Australia. The multinational media corporation, owned by press mogul Rupert Murdoch, called the raid "outrageous and heavy-handed" and "a dangerous act of intimidation". | |
| In a statement on Wednesday, ABC Managing Director David Anderson said the police raid "raises legitimate concerns over freedom of the press". | |
| "The ABC stands by its journalists, will protect its sources and continue to report without fear or favour on national security and intelligence issues when there is a clear public interest." | |
| Were the raids conducted independently? | |
| Both the police and Prime Minister Scott Morrison insist that they were. | |
| Mr Morrison said the police investigation was being pursued "at complete arm's length from the government, not in the knowledge of the government". | |
| Commissioner Gaughan reiterated on Thursday that police had acted independently, under laws granted to them by parliament. | Commissioner Gaughan reiterated on Thursday that police had acted independently, under laws granted to them by parliament. |
| "Not the government nor any minister has directed the actions of these investigations," Mr Gaughan said. | "Not the government nor any minister has directed the actions of these investigations," Mr Gaughan said. |
| He rejected assertions that police were intimidating journalists or "conduct[ing] a campaign against the media." | He rejected assertions that police were intimidating journalists or "conduct[ing] a campaign against the media." |
| Australia introduced new espionage offences last year that human rights advocates say could be used to target journalists and whistleblowers. | |