Legal loopholes used to detain David Miranda at Heathrow Airport while he was carrying leaked intelligence files for journalistic use are incompatible with human rights laws, a UK court has ruled.
While lawful, the detention for nine hours of Miranda, partner of Intercept journalist Glenn Greenwald, was found to contravene the European Convention on Human Rights.
The judgment was announced by master of rolls, Lord Dyson, in a hearing in a UK court of appeal.
In his findings, Lord Dyson said: “If journalists and their sources can have no expectation of confidentiality, they may decide against providing information on sensitive matters of public interest.
“That is why the confidentiality of such information is so important.”
The appeal judgment does not have the power to end the use or misuse of Schedule 7, but by presenting a declaration of incompatibility it leaves it for the UK Parliament to decide how the law must be changed.
This piece was reprinted by RINF Alternative News with permission or license.
Via RT.