OSCE media freedom watchdog welcomes France's new law allowing journalists to protect confidential sources

VIENNA, 14 January 2010 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, welcomed today a new French law that strengthens the protection for journalists who keep the identity of their sources confidential even in courts of law.

"The confidentiality of journalists' sources is a main precondition for strong investigative journalism in the service of democracy," said Haraszti.

"The adoption of the long-awaited measure is of utmost importance for the French media, and it strengthens internationally, too, the public's right to information."

The law, which took effect on 4 January, allows journalists to keep their confidential sources secret in court cases, unless a "preponderant need of public interest" can be demonstrated and "and only if the measures are strictly necessary and proportionate to the pursued legitimate aim". It also reinforces the protection concerning searches of journalists' home offices and cars.

"Although France had some safeguards in place already to protect the confidentiality of journalists' sources, the regular use of search warrants in such cases in recent years proved that further legal changes were needed in order to comply with international standards," said Haraszti.

"The law could have gone even further, but I hope that only very few cases will be seen as exceptional by the courts and that the law will boost investigative journalism by protecting its sources."