Source InCyprus

NICOSIA, Cyprus: The European Media Freedom Act contains provisions that could protect journalists from intrusive surveillance despite concerns about Cyprus’s draft implementation legislation, according to a report by philenews.

Philenews obtained an official translation of the EU regulation that Cyprus must incorporate into national law, finding specific clauses in Articles 25 and 26 that discourage the use of surveillance against media professionals.

The articles state:

“For the purpose of ensuring effective protection of journalistic sources and confidential communications, member states should not take such measures, including the deployment of intrusive surveillance software, in relation to media service providers, their editorial staff or persons who, due to their regular or professional relationship with a media service provider or its editorial staff, may have information related to or capable of identifying journalistic sources or confidential communications”.

“Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that media service providers, including journalists, operating in the internal market for media services can enjoy strong harmonised protection against the deployment of intrusive surveillance software in the Union, including when member state authorities resort to private entities for its development.”

Cyprus’s Interior Ministry has prepared a draft bill that media organisations claim threatens press freedom by potentially allowing authorities to monitor journalists’ communications and reveal their sources, according to previous reports.

The draft legislation reportedly includes provisions allowing the Police Chief, the Director of the Cyprus Intelligence Service, or an authorised investigator to initiate proceedings against journalists and obtain court orders without their knowledge on reasonable suspicion of a serious crime.

While the Interior Ministry has claimed these provisions are based on the European regulation, philenews reports that the EU text actually provides room for member states to avoid imposing such restrictions on media professionals.

The Ministry is currently reviewing the draft following consultations with journalistic bodies who expressed strong concerns about the proposed measures.