WASHINGTON, October 3 (Ria Novosti), Liudmila Chernova - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned about Australia's newly-passed security legislation, which does not include any exemptions for the media professionals, and warns about a disturbing direction the country is embarking with its passage.
"Australia is embarking in a disturbing direction with the passage of this legislation along with other measures that are being considered by the government in the near term," Sumit Galhotra , Asia researcher with the New York-based CPJ told RIA Novosti.
"There must be necessary safeguards here that protect members of the press who report on issues in the public interest as well as whistleblowers," Galhotra said Thursday.
Australia's lower house of parliament passed a law on Wednesday, according to which anyone disclosing information about "special intelligence operations" could face a decade in prison, according to Reuters.
The new legislation introduced by the country's government in attempt to boost security in the wake of a terrorist threat from the Islamic State (IS) also bans copying, transcribing, retaining and recording intelligence materials. Australian Parliament passed a law, presupposing similar punishment for disclosing information concerning special intelligence operations.
Galhotra stressed that keeping press freedom in mind, this law is problematic on several fronts.
"It can lead to the imprisonment of journalists and whistleblowers for up to 10 years and it allows for greater government surveillance," he said. "This is deeply concerning to us."
"Not only does it make particular journalists who report on national security issues more vulnerable, it also has a chilling effect on the reporting itself," Galhotra continued, emphasizing that the new Australian law imposes difficulties on journalists as well as their sources.
Galhotra noted that the legislation is only one part of a string of other national security measures that are being considered that raise concerns about press freedom in Australia.
"We'll be watching developments closely, but the situation certainly looks bleak," he concluded.
