The European Federation of Journalists, which represents over 200,000 journalists throughout Europe, today gave its full support to the Union of Cyprus Journalists protesting against the demands by Cypriot authorities for video footage made during a recent demonstration in Nicosia.
The Attorney General of the Republic of Cyprus has asked the Cypriot TV stations to hand over film and video recordings made during the April 18th demonstration in front of the House of the Israeli Ambassador in Nicosia.
"These demands undermine the independence of journalists and breach the principle of protection of sources for journalists, a cornerstone of the free press", declared leaders of the European Federation of Journalists meeting in Brussels this weekend. "Exploitation of journalists' material by the authorities would severely compromise the independence of journalists and their ability to act as the watchdog of society", said Gustl Glattfelder, chair of the EFJ.
