The journalist facing an $800 daily fine to keep her sources secret
theguardian.com
theguardian.com
Following this logic, whistleblowers are only protected if their whistleblowing follows the law (I sure hope national security law or employment contracts would never provide cover to make any disclosure illegal), and/or no "private citizen" is affected by the leaks.
In other words, they are not protected, ever, and you can always be forced to disclose your sources.
This case, though, is entirely different. It's not someone reporting that the government is doing something heinous that needs the light of day, it's a government official abusing their position of trust.
How would you like it if someone started posting your tax forms? It's not much different to me than the popo who abuse Flock.
That's what makes it such a good case. Neither the traitors (Chen and her husband are both US citizens) nor the leakers are heroes.
this sounds exactly same to me, why should she be forced to testify/reveal her source? just because you/police/investigators are incompetent to find the source without her help, so basically giving her daily fine for their own incompetence?
Either the judge decides you have to disclose your sources or not. Setting a daily fine to basically discipline or coerce someone to do what you want by increasing the pressure over time is ridiculous.
Also it allows you to buy out of it as long as you are wealthy enough or have financial support by a "big player".
If I were a US citizen I would be concerned by such jurisdiction.
It shows someone there has some motivation beyond this quarter's financial disclosure.
At this point every outfit is suspect: especially the original Upright Citizens(tm).
after opening - US - not exactly surprised in Trumpistan...