House search of journalists was illegal
According to the Neuchâtel Cantonal Court, the search of a journalist’s home in the canton of Neuchâtel was illegal. On Wednesday, the court ordered that the seized documents and items be returned.
The house search of journalist Ludovic Rocchi of the newspaper Le Matin happened in mid-August. Rocchi had uncovered plagiarism in various articles in a book by a professor at the University of Neuchâtel. The accused professor filed a complaint against Rocchi for defamation, slander and violation of official secrecy. As a result, the journalist's house was searched and electronic data was seized (Werbewoche.ch reported). The action of the Neuchâtel judiciary was denounced by Neuchâtel cantonal parliamentarians, the newspaper Le Matin and media unions as a violation of press freedom. (SDA)
