Australia

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Australia 's national broadcaster, has lost his legal challenge to a controversial police raids on its Sydney newsroom last year.

In June, The Police searched the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the house of journalists on articles that rely on leaks from the government informant.

The raids sparked public outrage and protests across The Nation , the media.

But, the Federal Court of Australia has ruled that the raids were legal.

ABC Managing Director David Anderson said the judgment was "disappointing". He said the raids had to do a high-profile "attempt to intimidate journalists for their work".

The Australian Federal Police had alleged that the stories and reporters in the centre of the raids had violated National Security laws.

During their search, they seized thousands of documents in connection with a 2017 investigative series which alleged Australian Special Forces , committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

Australia 's conservative government has already said it will press back the freedom, but "No One is above The Law ".

What was the case?

The ABC had tried to challenge the legality of the Australian Federal Police search warrant, and also the extent of police access to journalists " - material.

The industry trade Union, media, entertainment and Arts Alliance, said the case of the dismissal showed "persistent and serious threats to The Public 's right to know".

Mr. Anderson, from the ABC, said the judgment was "a blow for public interest journalism".

He said the court decision highlighted a "serious problem" with Australia 's National Security laws, which critics have stifled investigative reporting of government activities.

Australia 's main Newspapers ran "censored" in front of pages, which Australia has in the past year to protest against the laws

"by far The Most onerous, said confidentiality laws comparable Western Democracy - the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand ," Mr. Anderson.

He pointed out that The Police had taken place raids, nearly three years after the stories were first published.

the home of The News Corp reporter Annika Smethurst was also a RAID last June of its history, an alleged attempt by a Government Agency to spy on Australian citizens reported.

The Police have not ruled out the prosecution of Ms Smethurst and the ABC Reporter Sam Clarke and Dan Oakes about their stories.

media commentators have previously told the BBC that journalists in Australia have experienced an unprecedented political pressure, under the conservative Prime Minister , Scott Morrison ' s government.

"I'm not saying this is only about the current government, but we have seen an increasing authoritarian mood crept in the way that the media are from the government," said Prof Catharine Lumby from Macquarie University .

australia, press freedom, journalism

Source of news: bbc.com