OSCE media freedom representative welcomes court decision, calls for end to investigation against Swiss journalist

VIENNA, 12 September 2013 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović, has commended the decision of a Neuchâtel court that a police search carried out in the premises of journalist Ludovic Rocchi was ‘unjustified’ and therefore invalid in an ongoing investigation.

“This is a positive sign which I hope will lead to dropping of all charges against Rocchi,” Mijatović said.

The police searched the private residence of Rocchi, an award winning journalist working for the newspaper Le Matin, on 13 August and seized his computer.

Rocchi was involved in revealing plagiarism at the University of Neuchâtel, which resulted in charges of defamation, slander and violation of secrecy, brought against him by one of the university directors.

“The independence of journalists and the protection of their sources are essential to their work. I am worried that disproportionate measures brought against Rocchi could create a chilling effect on investigative journalists in Switzerland’, Mijatović concluded.