Newsroom
A charter for cover ups
Journalists, trade unions, academics, media freedom defenders and human rights campaigners join together to oppose plans for secret courts in the Justice and Security Bill.
A charter for cover ups
We are deeply concerned by the Justice and Security Bill.
It was drafted in response to legal cases involving allegations of UK complicity in secret rendition, torture and inhumane treatment.
The Bill is a charter for cover ups.
Neither the public, nor the victims, nor their lawyers nor the media will have a right to know.
Court records could be kept secret forever.
Secret courts could be extended to undercover police officers, deaths of suspects in custody and deaths in the military.
The measures in the Bill are an attack on open and accessible justice, they threaten the right to a fair trial and the rule of law.
Journalism at its best uncovers the truth and the Bill intends to hide the evidence.
We are asking MPs to make their vote count and oppose the secret courts proposals in the Justice and Security Bill.
However the goverrnment pushed through its plans for secret court hearings, defeating amendments tabled by the Labour frontbench with significant majorities.
Michelle Stanistreet - General Secretary, National Union of Journalists (UK)
Frances O'Grady - General Secretary, Trades Union Congress (TUC)
Clare Algar - Executive Director, Reprieve
Kirsty Hughes - Chief Executive Officer, Index on Censorship
Gavin Millar QC - Doughty Street Chambers
John Pilger - Journalist, film-maker and author
Roy Greenslade - Professor of Journalism, City University
Kate Allen - Director, Amnesty International
Angela Patrick - Director of Human Rights Policy, JUSTICE
Gillian Slovo - South African novelist and President, English PEN
Shami Chakrabarti - Director, Liberty
Keith Best - Chief Executive Officer, Freedom from Torture
Agnès Callamard - Executive Director, ARTICLE 19
Dadimos Haile - Interim Director, REDRESS
David Babbs - Executive Director, 38 Degrees
Jim Boumelha - President, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
John Hendy QC - Old Square Chambers
Chris Frost - Chair of NUJ Ethics Council and Head of Journalism, Liverpool John Moore University
Mike Jempson - Director, The MediaWise Trust and Senior Journalism Lecturer, University of the West of England
Lawrence McNamara – Reader in Law, University of Reading
Eric Barendt, Emeritus Professor of Media Law, UCL
Noe Mendelle - Director, Scottish Documentary Institute, Edinburgh College of Art/University of Edinburgh
David Baines - Lecturer in Journalism, School of Arts and Cultures, Newcastle University
Paul Lashmar - Lecturer and Convenor, MA International Journalism, Brunel University
Tom O'Malley - Department of Theatre Film and Television, Aberystwyth University
Natalie Fenton - Professor of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths University
Julian Petley - Professor of Screen Media, School of Arts, Brunel University
Vian Bakir - Senior Lecturer in Journalism, School of Creative Studies and Media, Bangor University
Angela Phillips - Reader in Journalism, Convenor MA Journalism, Goldsmiths University
Delwyn Swingewood - Senior Lecturer in Journalism, University of Central Lancashire
Jackie Newton - Senior Journalism Lecturer, Liverpool John Moore University
Richard Lance Keeble - Acting Head, Lincoln School of Journalists
Hazel Barrett - Senior Lecturer, Department of Journalism, Liverpool John Moore University
Kate Heathman - Senior Lecturer, Liverpool Screen School
Charles Brown - Course Leader, MA in Media Management, University of Westminster and Chair, UCU Harrow Branch
Bronwyn Jones - Lecturer and PhD researcher, Liverpool John Moores University
Lieve Gies - Department of Media and Communication, University of Leicester
Lucy Brown - Programme Leader MA Film and TV, University of Hertfordshire
Michael Pickering - Communication Research Centre, Loughborough University
Ayo A. Oyeleye - Media Lecturer, Birmingham School of Media
Judith Townend - Co-ordinator of 'Open Justice in the Digital Era' project, Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism, City University
Dave Toomer - Freelance Lecturer in Media Law and Policy
Damian Carney – Principal Lecturer, School of Law, University of Portsmouth
Ian Cram – Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, School of Law, University of Leeds
Alastair Mullis – Professor of Law, School of Law, University of East Anglia
Andrew Scott – Senior Lecturer, Department of Law, London School of Economics
R Craufurd Smith - Senior Lecturer, School of Law, University of Edinburgh
Fiona Fairweather - Dean, School of Law and Social Sciences, University of East London
Marie Gillespie - Professor of Sociology, The Open University
Hugh Mackay - Deputy Associate Dean and Senior Lecturer in Sociology, The Open University in Wales
Sally R Munt - Director, Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies
Atreyee Sen - Lecturer in Contemporary Religion and Conflict, University of Manchester
Raminder Kaur - Department of Anthropology, School of Global Studies, University of Sussex
Nigel Williams - TUC Programme Co-ordinator, Ruskin College
Nick Clark - Senior Research Fellow, Working Lives Research Institute
Andrew Cumbers - University of Glasgow
Farah Mendlesohn - Anglia Ruskin University
John Richardson - Loughborough University
Vir Bala Aggarwal - Chairperson, Department of Mass Communication, Himachal Pradesh University Shimla
Pluto Press
Len McCluskey - General Secretary, Unite the Union
Gerry Morrissey - General Secretary, BECTU
John Smith - General Secretary, Musicians’ Union
Mark Serwotka - General Secretary, PCS
Bob Crow - General Secretary, RMT
Sally Hunt - General Secretary, UCU
Mick Whelan - General Secretary, ASLEF
Steve Murphy - General Secretary, UCATT
Rob Monks - General Secretary, URTU
Tony Burke - Assistance General Secretary, Unite the Union
Harry Fletcher - Assistant General Secretary, NAPO
Frank Ward - Assistant General Secretary, Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
Megan Dobney - Regional Secretary, SERTUC
Jon Rogers - NEC member, Unison (personal capacity)
Karen Reissmann - NEC member, Unison (personal capacity)
Dave Green - National Official, FBU
Matt Foot - Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce Solicitors
Peter Noorlander - Chief Executive, Media Legal Defence Initiative
Nani Jansen - Senior Legal Counsel, Media Legal Defence Initiative
Anthony Hudson - Doughty Street Chambers
Conor McCarthy - Doughty Street Chambers
Guy Vassall-Adams - Doughty Street Chambers
Mark Stephens - CBE and Vice President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association
Des Freedman - Chair, Media Reform Coalition
Maurice Frankel - Director, Campaign for Freedom of Information
Barry White - National Organiser, Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
Peter Tatchell - Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation
Milica Pesic - Media Diversity Institute
Kate Hudson - General Secretary, CND
Lynsey German - Convenor, Stop the War Coalition
Jeremy Hardy - Comedian
Jo Shaw - Federal Executive member, Liberal Democrats (personal capacity)
Martin Tod - Federal Executive member, Liberal Democrats (personal capacity)
Mark Pack - Federal Policy Committee, Liberal Democrats (personal capacity)
Stephen Tall - Co-Editor of Lib Dem Voice (personal capacity)
Neal Lawson - Chair, Compass
Natalie Bennett - Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
Hilary Wainwright - Editor, Red Pepper magazine
Richard Bagley - Editor, Morning Star
Mike Dodd - Editor, Media Lawyer
Nick Davies - Special Correspondent, The Guardian
Amelia Hill - Special Investigations Correspondent, The Guardian
David Leigh - Investigations Executive Editor, The Guardian
David Rose - Special Investigations for the Mail on Sunday and Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair
Liam Clarke - Political Editor, Belfast Telegraph
Gerry Carson - Carson Public Affairs and Media
Kary Stewart - Multi Media Producer, Ignite Creative Production
Kathryn Whitfield - Production Editor, Observer News
Jess Hurd - Photographer
Erika Singh - Senior Editorial Administrator
Jane Dudman - Editor
Neil Willis - Production Editor
Jamie Doward - Senior Reporter
Martin Shipton - Chief Reporter
Séamus Dooley - Irish Secretary, NUJ
Adam Christie - Joint Vice President, NUJ
Donnacha DeLong - NEC member, NUJ
Eamonn McCann - NEC member, NUJ
Paula Geraghty - NEC member, NUJ
Brian Morgan - Welsh Executive Council and Vice Chair, Cardiff and South East Wales Branch, NUJ
Jason Parkinson - Chair, London Photographers Branch, NUJ
Monica Foot - Chair, Press and PR Branch, NUJ
Anton McCabe - Secretary, Derry and North West Ireland Branch, NUJ
Phil Turner - Vice Chair, South Yorks Branch, NUJ
Don Smith - Welfare Officer, Dublin Freelance Branch, NUJ
Bill Montgomery
Juliette Jowit
Emma Lilly
Stephanie Fincham
Tim Gopsill
Ann Galpin
Jill Grimshaw
Jane Wheatley
Sara Clarke
Viv Pegram
Sarah Cave
Chris Wheal
Keme Nzerem
Nicholas Firth
John Stuttle
Leah Jewett
Professor Maureen McNeil
Dr Peter Pick
Richard Norton-Taylor - Writer on Defence and Security, The Guardian
Michael Calderbank - Co-Editor, Red Pepper
Bob Miller - Journalist, Unite & NIPSA trade unions
Charles Atangana - Economics Journalist
David Graeber - Reader in Social Anthropology, Goldsmiths University
Jules Mattsson - Multimedia Journalist, Freelance
Cory Doctorow - Partner, Boing Boing/Happy Mutants
Alan Lodge - Photographer
Tom Davies - NEC member, Development Committee Chair, NUJ
David Hoffman - Photographer, EPUK
Marie-Pierre Leroux - Publisher Relationships Manager, NA
Peter Finn - Lecturer in Politics, Kingston University
Phillip Mallett - Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews
Gerhard Kerstiens - Science Consultant
Julie Jenkins - Clincial Data Coordinator, CRO
Michael Carter - Student
Julia Bard - Writer and Editor, Freelance
Miranda Basner - Lecturer, Media Ethics (retired)
Margot Huysman - Freelance
Matthew Aslett - Documentary Photographer
Susan Gardiner
Patrick Eden - Photographer
Anna Edmundson - INQUEST
Nick Thornsby - Day editor, Liberal Democrat Voice
Nandita L
Maia Hough - unemployed
Geoff Gilbert - Professor of Law, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex
Hannah Bellos - Student
Pat Harper - Writer and Editor, Freelance
Dave Henniker - Retired
David Marshall - Writer
Femi Konteh - Stylist
Greg Judge - Party activist, Liberal Democrats
Caron Lindsay - Day Editor, Liberal Democrat Voice
Giselle Williams - Retired
Martin Robinson - Musician
Ewan Harvey - Student
Tim Holmes - Researcher, Public Interest Research Centre
Christopher Wright
Paul Foreman - Writer, Self Employed
Sean McCann - Banker
TF Birch
John Henry - Solicitor
Samir Jeraj - Freelance Journalist
Paul Cavaciuti - Music Teacher, Self-employed
Peter K A Barz - Director, Environmental Network Limited
Jon Sacker - Communications Consultant
Robert Thompson - Customer Advisor
Gary Glover - LP Officer, Lib Dems Bermondsey
Sam McIntosh - PhD Researcher, Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism, City University
Brid Kerrigan
Anna Fairbank - Advocate, Disability Advice Service Lambeth
John Mitchell
Tamsin Hewett
Harry Harris - Merchant Navy Officer
Simon Kewer - Cartoonist, Freelance
Simon Burrows - Software Engineer
Carole Tongue - Chair, UKCCD
Amanda Rawling - Sole Trader
Michael Gane
Huw Sayer - Freelance writer, Business Writers Limited
Chris Engert
Tom Walker
Georgie Willis - Trainee Tax Advisor
Susan Bryant - Director, Rights Watch (UK)
Shoaib M Khan - Solicitor
Don Mort - Newspapers and Agencies Industrial Council member, NUJ
Marc Vallee - Documentary Photographer
Benjamin Lovell - Journalism Student
Jane Dugdale - Unemployed
Colleen Toomey - Writer
Sara Joaquim
Nick White
Indrani Balaratnam - Research Intern, CagePrisoners
Kajsa Wall, Journalism student
Nicole Hutchinson - Retired
Peter Wood - Student
Mohammad - Trainee Journalist
Bonnie Newman - New Media Industrial Council, NUJ
Margaret Woods - Trade Union Organiser, Glasgow Campaign To Welcome Refugees
Matthew Smith - Financial Services Contractor
Jon Slattery - Journalist, blogger ex-Crown Court reporter, Freelance
Ben Nacard - Urban Designer
Nicholas Alderton - PhD Student, Cardiff University
Pat Devereaux
Thanks to everyone who signed the statement.
