19
Nov 2018
Lvl. 2
State replied
Alert created on: 12 Nov 2018
Romania
Data Protection Authority Requests the Disclosure of Journalistic Sources
Source of threatState
CategoryOther acts having chilling effects on media freedom
On 8 November 2018, the Romanian Data Protection Authority (ANSPDCP) ordered investigative outlet RISE Project to reveal its sources for reporting on an alleged European Union fund fraud that may involve the leader of the Social Democratic Party PSD, Liviu Nicolae Dragnea. The authority’s letter cites the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as a basis for ordering RISE Project to reveal its sources. According to the letter, failure to respond within 10 days could lead to a fine of 3,000 lei (650 euros) per day, and additional fines up to a maximum of 20 million euros. The head of the data protection agency is a Social Democrat Party member who ran for parliament on the party's lists.
Additional Information
- News report from OCCRP: "Romania Orders Journalists Investigating Corruption to Give Up Sources"
- News report from Balkan Insight: "Romanian Journalists Under Pressure to Disclose Sources"
- Facebook post from the Romanian Union of Journalists FAIR-MediaSind: "Sursele sunt confidentiale si nu se divulgă!"
- Mapping Media Freedom report: "Romania: Authorities order investigative outlet to reveal sources under pain of 20m-euro GDPR-linked fine"
State replies
19 Nov 2018
Reply from the Romanian authorities
Follow-ups
19 Nov 2018
OSCE media freedom representative calls for protection of journalists' right to confidential sources in Romania
17 Nov 2018
Noting with concern that Romania’s data protection authority recently requested that RISE Project ... disclose information on the sources of their investigative report on a case of alleged fraud involving European funds, or face the threat of a 20 million Euro fine in case of non-compliance, the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Romanian authorities to withdraw these measures and avoid similar cases in the future.