TERRORISM ACT AND PRESS FREEDOM

Early day motion 1021, tabled 29 January 2014 by Caroline Lucas (Green). Signed by 20 members.

That this House notes the views of Frank La Rue, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, that the Terrorism Act and defence of national security must not be used as grounds for harassing journalists who investigate sensitive subjects such as human rights abuses; further notes the comments of the former Lord Chancellor, who was among those who brought in the Act, that the powers were intended to be used only against people who are, or who might be, terrorists; expresses concern about the abuse of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in recent cases, including that of David Miranda, detained and questioned for collaborating with Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald to bring the information leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to public attention; expresses further concern that a UK journalist with the WikiLeaks team, Sarah Harrison, is in exile and has been advised by her lawyers that it is not safe to return home on the grounds that almost every story published on the GCHQ and NSA bulk spying programs falls under the UK Government's interpretation of the word terrorism; believes that Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 is being illegitimately used to undermine freedom of the press; and calls on the Government urgently to review the application of the Terrorism Act 2000 and guarantee that it is not used to intimidate or persecute national security journalists.

Signatures by party: Labour 10, Liberal Democrat 5, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Alliance 1, Green 1, Respect 1.