Prosecutors withdraw demand: LRT journalist's source need not be disclosed
Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office has confirmed that disclosure of the journalist's information source is no longer required. The pre-trial investigation continues on grounds of unlawful collection and disclosure of private persons' data.
Prosecutors abandon demand for LRT journalist to reveal source
Šiauliai District Prosecutor's Office no longer requires that LRT journalist Eglė Samoškaitė disclose her information source. This was confirmed to 15min by Milda Rimkė, spokesperson for Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office.
The conflict arose after Samoškaitė reported on 12 July that a duty officer at Gruzdžiai Socialisation Centre in Kunionys may have sexually harassed a 14-year-old resident there. It later emerged that law enforcement had demanded that the journalist disclose her source, although the Law on Public Information guarantees journalists the right to protect their source confidentiality.
LRT appealed the decision by Šiauliai District Prosecutor's Office, and the Association of Professional Journalists stated that such a demand "poses a serious threat to media freedom". The situation was also reviewed by the office of the Prosecutor General – by a decision of the Deputy Prosecutor General, the organisation and direction of the pre-trial investigation were transferred to Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Rimkė clarified that two separate pre-trial investigations had previously been conducted – one at Šiauliai Regional Prosecutor's Office and one at Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office. On Friday, they were merged into a single case investigation.
"Following the merger of the aforementioned pre-trial investigations, and with the change in the scope and content of available data, the prosecutor directing the pre-trial investigation no longer had a need to obtain such information from the public institution Lithuanian National Radio and Television requiring disclosure of the information source," Rimkė stated.
She added that LRT has been informed of the changed circumstances.
The investigation continues on other grounds: the merged case covers possible unlawful collection of information about a private individual's life, its disclosure and use, as well as disclosure of pre-trial investigation data without permission. These acts are provided for in Articles 167, 168 and 247 of the Criminal Code. The case investigation is directed by a prosecutor of the 4th Division of Kaunas District Prosecutor's Office at Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office.
When asked whether the case involves suspected individuals, special witnesses or victims, Rimkė did not answer directly – noting that "this is pre-trial investigation data" and that she could not disclose further information about individuals' procedural status.
According to Rimkė, the pre-trial investigation was initiated following notification of a possibly committed criminal act.
Source: 15min