Vice Media compelled to give chat logs to Canadian police
On July 4, 2019, Vice Media exhausted its legal options to resist a demand from Canadian authorities to turn over chat logs between one of its reporters, Ben Makuch, and his source, Farah Shirdon, a Somali-Canadian man who allegedly joined the Islamic State militant group, and gave the logs to police, according to Makuch, who…
Canada’s Supreme Court rules against Vice Media reporter Ben Makuch
New York, November 30, 2018–The Canadian Supreme Court today upheld a lower court ruling that Vice Media reporter Ben Makuch should hand over his communications with a source. In a 9-0 decision, the court dismissed an appeal from Vice Media Canada Inc. and Makuch that challenged a Royal Canadian Mounted Police order requiring Makuch to…
Surveillance of journalists and court orders puts Canada’s press freedom at risk
On February 6, VICE News reporter Ben Makuch is due to appear in court to appeal an order requesting that he hand over details of his communication with a source. The hearing comes ahead of a day of action being planned in Canada for February 25, when press freedom and privacy activists are due to…