Journalists to protest against Blau indictment

The new Journalists Union and the Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv Journalists Associations are planning a protest tomorrow (Sunday) outside the Justice Ministry in Jerusalem over the Attorney-General’s decision this week to indict “Haaretz” reporter Uri Blau.

Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein announced Wednesday that he would charge Blau with “possession of classified military documents” which he received from former OC Central Command soldier Anat Kamm. The decision follows a 2008 story in which Blau, using leaked documents, revealed that Tzahal (IDF) planned in advance to assassinate Palestinian political leaders and fighters.


“Haaretz” Journalist Uri Blau (Photo: Ido Keinan – Heder 404)

Blau is to be charged under the Penal Code with aggravated espionage, which stipulates that obtaining, collecting, preparing, recording or keeping secret information without authorization, but without intent to harm state security, is punishable by seven years in prison. In a statement, Weinstein noted that though Blau was being charged under the “aggravated espionage” clause, the indictment would not attribute the offense of “espionage” to him in the traditional sense of that term.

In a statement released Thursday, MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) said the decision to indict a journalist “for holding classified documents” set a dangerous precedent for press freedom in Israel and called to join the protest on Sunday.