Bronbescherming
Source Protection
Source protection is the right of journalists to keep the identity of their sources confidential, including during legal proceedings.
Source protection constitutes an essential component of press freedom in the Netherlands. It enables journalists to safeguard the identity of confidential informants, thereby allowing them to continue gathering information on sensitive matters.
This right derives from Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and is reinforced in the Netherlands by settled case law. A journalist may be compelled to disclose a source only in exceptional circumstances, such as serious criminal offences where no alternative means of obtaining the information exist.
In practice, source protection permits media organisations and journalists to invoke this right in order to resist the application of coercive measures, including searches of premises or the examination of witnesses.
“The attorney invoked source protection to prevent the journalist from being compelled to identify his source in the proceedings.”
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