Demonstrators rally outside Spanish Supreme Court after police raids on Mallorcan news outlets

DEMONSTRATORS gathered outside Spain’s Supreme Court last week after police officers raided the offices of two news organisations.
The protesters gathered as more than 650 journalists from across the country wrote to the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), Spain’s justice watchdog, demanding reporters’ rights be protected.
It comes after Judicial Police officers raided the offices of Diario de Mallorca and of Europa Press’ Palma division.

#ElSecretoNoSeToca concentración de periodistas ante el Tribunal Supremo “Nuestro secreto profesional, tu derecho a la información” pic.twitter.com/rz6bgAbV0h

— APM (@aprensamadrid) December 14, 2018

It saw officers seize several documents allegedly connected to a large-scale corruption case being examined by journalists.
Maria Ferrer, director of Diario de Mallorca, said police did not present a court order during the search and that they also seized two personal mobile phones.
She added they had initially refused to allow the police inside citing their journalist’s need to protect their sources.

Nuestro secreto profesional, tu derecho a la información. #ElSecretoNoSeToca pic.twitter.com/hJVOUfnAwM

— David Hernández (@_david_hdez_) December 14, 2018

Police said the raids were not in connection with the news outlets themselves but were undertaken to determine how the documents were leaked to reporters.
Members of the Madrid Press Association (APM) who demonstrated outside the Supreme Court said journalist’s right to confidentiality should be protected.
Carlos Martinez de la Serna, of the Committee to Protect Journalists reporter rights group, said the move was an attempt to stop the uncovering of corruption.
“The decision to confiscate the reporters’ devices and materials is an unacceptable attempt to intimidate them,” Martinez de la Serna said.

Spanish police search newsroom, seize journalists’ equipment in leaks investigationhttps://t.co/J5vyRmFbML

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) December 13, 2018