06 Surveillance


NUJ sets record straight as landmark hearing into No Stone Unturned journalists draws to a close


journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were unlawfully monitored by the Police Service of Northern Ireland using covert surveillance coming to an end, the NUJ refuted claims made by former Durham Constabulary police officer Mr Ellis against the union. Te hearing began in February


W


into the case taken by McCaffrey and Birney arising from their 2018 arrest relating to their documentary No Stone Unturned. Te film told the story of the 1994


loyalist killing of six men in a bar in Loughinisland, Co Down while watching the World Cup. Te IPT is being asked to rule that the PSNI acted unlawfully by obtaining communications data held by McCaffrey and Birney, which it is alleged was done to identify their confidential journalistic sources. During the hearing, claims arose of


inappropriate behaviour by Grahame Morris MP and the NUJ, related to alleged payments made by the union, these allegations were entirely refuted by the union. In the affidavit, Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, set the record straight in relation to


ith the latest Investigatory Powers Tribunal hearing over allegations


Mr Morris, who has never received payment for his solidarity support of the NUJ parliamentary group. As an independent trade union, the NUJ does not make political donations. Stanistreet’s affidavit, together with publicly available parliamentary records, make clear that the claims were completely ill-founded. Te hearing also heard closing submissions from counsel for both journalists and for the PSNI. In July the NUJ was granted permission to intervene in the case, enabling the union to make a detailed writen submission and submit supporting statements from Professor Emeritus Chris Frost, Chair of the NUJ Ethics Council, NEC member, journalist and


author Kathryn Johnson, former Sunday World editor Jim McDowell, journalist and author Alex Tomson and investigative journalist Ed Moloney. Campbell is instructed by Olivia


O’Kane solicitor DWF Northern Ireland and Natasha Morris, NUJ Legal and Equality Officer. Séamus Dooley, Assistant General Secretary, had represented the NUJ at the hearing. Dooley has described the hearing


as having, “huge significance to journalists and other groups possibly targeted by the PSNI in covert surveillance. Journalists must be able to carry out their work confident in the protections afforded them when communicating with sources.”


Kevin-Cooper


HEARING


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8