UK among worst in Western Europe for freedom of press after 'staggering decline', Reporters Without Borders index claims
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A host of recent developments in the UK had threatened the press' ability to hold powerful people and institutions to account, the report found, including what it called an “alarming” proposal by the Law Commission to replace the Official Secrets Act with an updated Espionage Act.
The move “could make it easy to jail journalists as 'spies’ for obtaining leaked information and see them jailed for up to 14 years”, the report found.
RFS also criticised the Government over the introduction of the Investigatory Powers Act, saying the new law contained insufficient protections for whistleblowers, journalists and their sources.
