Lawyers are using frivolous legal threats as a key tool to intimidate journalists investigating financial misconduct, according to a new report released by a British think tank today.
The “Unsafe for Scrutiny” report, released by the London-based Foreign Policy Centre, underscores the manifold threats facing journalists internationally who investigate financial misconduct. With responses from 63 journalists working in 43 countries, the survey found that the vast majority of respondents faced threats or harassment during the course of investigating corruption — with many reporters suffering significant impact on their ability to do their jobs.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shared the FPC’s survey with its members, and journalists from ICIJ’s network, which spans more than 260 reporters in more than 100 countries, feature heavily in the report.
“Large-scale transnational investigations, like those conducted by ICIJ, have provided explosive insights into how political and business elites, as well as organised crime
— source International Consortium of Investigative Journalists | Spencer Woodman | Nov 2, 2020