La Directa denounces the political use of data protection laws to silence investigative journalism

• The Catalan media outlet 'La Directa' faces a €7,000 fine and a demand to delete investigative reports exposing undercover police officers.
• The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) claims the disclosure of officers' data is a violation, while media advocates label the move as a SLAPP tactic to silence critical journalism.

The Dispute

• The AEPD has opened a sanctioning file against La Directa for publishing information on four police officers who infiltrated Catalan social and independence movements.
• The agency demands the removal of all related content, images, and even the fictitious names used by the officers within three months.
• La Directa has been publishing evidence of these infiltrations since spring 2022, arguing that the reports are based on verified facts regarding police activities.

Legal and Ethical Concerns

• Human rights lawyer Sònia Olivella stated that this case constitutes a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), which is used to intimidate journalists and activists.
• Proponents of press freedom argue that the European Court of Human Rights protects the publication of personal data when there is a clear public interest and need for an informed debate.
• La Directa journalist Jesús Rodríguez criticized the State for investigating the media instead of the illegal police practices themselves, contrasting the Spanish approach with the UK's 'Spy Cops' scandal handling.

Next Steps

• La Directa plans to file formal appeals and intends to take the case to European institutions if the sanction is not overturned.
• Multiple journalism syndicates and media cooperatives, including El Salto, Critic, and La Marea, have joined a public statement denouncing the move as an act of censorship.