Treatment of Northern Irish journalists likened to police state, court hears

Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were held over alleged theft of Loughinisland report

The arrest of two Northern Irish journalists after they embarrassed authorities by obtaining documents relating to a mass murder “was the kind of operation more associated with a police state than with a liberal democracy”, a court has heard.

Northern Irish police raided the homes and offices of the award-winning journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey last August over the alleged theft of a police watchdog report, in a case that has gained global attention owing to concerns over its impact on press freedom in Britain.

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from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/30R8hL9