This was a intriguing account of the James Risen case in USA. (Click here)
In short, the story is about how easily can government get access to information about an individual and use the same to stifle the journalists' sources and intimidate people in such a way that there are no "future leaks" from the government, no matter how wrong is the government.
After reading through this article and looking through various others, my conclusion is that perhaps we need to re-look at spirit with which the founders of any democracy had hoped or wanted to set as precedent.
The solution, in USA's case, would be to create a new witness protection program run and linking it to new laws which will give full sanctuary to whistle blowers. If it sounds complicated let me explain with an example.
In this case where,
The moment the story was blown and cases came in-front of judges. Each case had to be looked from the following aspect --
1. Was the government wrong not by current law but when their actions and reactions are measured against the 'Declaration of Independance'?
2. Did the people try to take down a government which was corrupt?* There is an old adage, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
*But when a long train of abuses and usurpation, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
If the answer, as it looks in this case, is 'Yes'. Then the case is not admissible and it should be thrown out. Also a strict action should be taken against the prosecutor or the one leading the case. As far as the witness or the corroborator is concerned then s/he be put under the witness and whistle blower program and their safety should be guaranteed.
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