ORG hosts a discussion on the Espionage Act.

Sarah Kavanagh from the National Union of Journalists will be joined by Pam Cowburn, Open Rights Group's Communications Director, to discuss the implications of the proposed Espionage Act. Join us for a discussion and Q&A followed by a trip to the Brewdog pub next door. All welcome.

About the Espionage Act

The Law Commission is advising the Government how to update the law about classified state secrets—they want a new Espionage Act to increase the penalties, and allow journalists handling secret documents to be treated like spies.

Their proposals would stop investigative journalism and public-interest whistleblowing concerning the secret state. Imagine if not only Edward Snowden but also Guardian journalists Alan Rusbridger, Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, Ewen MacAskill and James Ball were imprisoned for exposing government lawbreaking at GCHQ.

Sign the petition

Nearly 20,000 people have already signed the Open Rights Group's petition, demanding the Law Commission drop plans to criminalise journalists and public-interest whistleblowers. Speak up by signing the petition today (https://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaigns/espionage-act/14-years-in-prison-for-journalists-sign-the-petition-1).