Closed petition Do not reform rules on unauthorised disclosure of material by journalists

Closed on 6 February 2022

The proposed overhaul of the Official Secrets Act could mean journalists could be imprisoned for up to 14 years for publishing classified information which embarrasses the government. This would equate public interest journalism with espionage.

Despite professing a commitment to freedom of speech, proposals like this mean Britain is increasingly becoming a hostile country for journalists. We need look no further than our notoriously restrictive libel laws.

The new developments could make it illegal to reveal things of significant public interest, and would be an assault on the fundamental tenets of a free society. We must not allow the Government to make free and open reporting more difficult.