ARTICLE 19, English PEN, and the Media Legal Defence Initiative have submitted a brief to the UK Court of Appeal, in the case of Regina (Miranda) v Secretary for the Home Department and another in November 2015. The Court of Appeal held oral hearings on the case 8-9 December 2015.
The case involves the misuse of the Terrorism Act 2000 to detain and search David Miranda, the partner of noted Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald at Heathrow Airport in order to seize journalistic materials being carried by Mr Miranda from Pulitzer Prize winner director Laura Poitras to Mr Greenwald.
The lower court controversially ruled that the material could be seized under the Terrorism Act, deciding that “politically motivated” journalism could be considered terrorist action and limiting the applicability of protection of journalists sources at borders.
The brief challenges those decisions as a grave violation of freedom of expression.
The brief was written by Can Yeginsu and Anthony Jones of 4, New Square.