For Immediate Release

Event: Outside New Scotland Yard, 4 July 2010, 12 Noon.

Yesterday the European Court of Human Rights rejected the Governments appeal to it’s decision in January that ruled Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

It follows a series of high profile incidents of police harassing photographers. Last Friday the Metropolitan Police accepted liability and paid compensation for a breach of Article 10 when they prevented photojournalist Marc Vallée and videographer Jason Parkinson from covering a demonstration outside the Greek Embassy in 2008.

On Saturday a 15 year old was stopped photographing army cadets parading in Romford by police claiming they did not need any powers to detain him, he is now taking legal advice about the incident.

And today the Home Office said it was reviewing it’s procedures for photographing people in public order situations as the Financial Times revealed that the police held criminal intelligence reports on people who had not been convicted of any crime. Including Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn and Fiyaz Mughal, interfaith and extremism adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Campaigners from the I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! group have called a flashmob outside New Scotland Yard this Sunday 4^th July at 12 noon to celebrate the ECHR ruling and call on the Government to repeal s44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

One of the organisers of Sunday’s flashmob, Jess Hurd said:

For street photographers the battle against the misuse of the terrorism laws has been frustrating and at times absurd.

The abuse of these laws has united amateur and professional in defence of press freedom and civil liberties. We will not be intimidated by these unjust laws that pick on innocent citizens, and criminalise photography.

We urge all those who have been stopped since the original ruling in January to seek legal representation through their respective organisations.

Penny Quinton’s & Kevin Gillan’s victory against s44 in the European Court of Human Rights has been a long struggle for justice, achieved with the support of the NUJ and a committed legal team. It is a major success that should be celebrated across society.

Photographers are organising an ‘Im a Photographer Not a Terrorist’ Flashmob this Sunday, at noon, New Scotland Yard to celebrate our victory and determination not to be harassed by this, or any other law. Please join us.

Notes to Editors

I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! Is a campaign run by photographers for anyone who values visual imagery. It was set up in 2009 in response to new terrorism laws preventing the photographing of police officers. In January it organised a mass photo gathering in Trafalgar Square that attracted over 2,000 photographers from across the country.

Journalists win payout after police admit failing to respect press freedom – The Guardian

Officers claim they don’t need law to stop photographer taking pictures – The Independent

Police use of protest photos will face review – The Financial Times

Judges reject government appeal over stop-and-search – BBC News

Contact

Jess Hurd – 07713 151765

hello@photographernotaterrorist.org

http://PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org

http://twitter.com/phnat

ENDS

Yesterday the European Court of Human Rights rejected the governments appeal to its decision in January that ruled Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Although the Home Office has said it is still considering how the ruling affects the law and the police will continue to use it. It’s possible that any Stop & Search under s44 since 12th January 2010 will be open to legal challenge, so hang on to any receipts.

Unfortunately there are still a swathe of laws that police use to harass photographers, most notably s43, which is similar to s44 but requires an officer to suspect that you are a terrorist and s76 which makes it illegal to ‘elicit information about a police officer’ which includes photographing them.

In the meantime we’re going back to the place where our campaign started, outside New Scotland Yard. We’ll be gathering at 12 noon, this Sunday 4th July (Independence Day!) Come along and lets celebrate a little more freedom for photographers.

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