Government accused of spying on newspaper’s reporters

Government accused of spying on newspaper’s reporters
Published on Tuesday 21 January 2014.

Reporters Without Borders calls for a parliamentary committee investigation into spying on the San José-based Diario Extra newspaper, which reported at new conference yesterday that the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) and the office of the public prosecutor have been monitoring the private and professional phone calls of its journalists for the past ten months.

“This is very similar to the scandalous seizure of the Associated Press’ phone records in the United States,” Reporters Without Borders said.

“Such activities violate the confidentiality of the news media’s sources, which is the bedrock of journalism. They jeopardize the safety and work of the journalists concerned and, beyond that, the ability of the press to perform its watchdog role.

“Following the adoption of a computer crimes law that is still very controversial even after being amended, freedom of information has now suffered another serious setback in a country that has traditionally demonstrated a high degree of respect for this freedom.”

Reporters Without Borders added: “Inasmuch as the highest government levels seem implicated in this scandal, parliament should unite the entire political spectrum in a concerted effort to establish the facts and identify those responsible. And the results of its investigation should be made public.”

More:
http://en.rsf.org/costa-rica-government-accused-of-spying-on-21-01-2014,45759.html