Experience
Estonia
IT, Data protection & Privacy
Media & Entertainment Law
January 16, 2023

TRINITI represented a client in a landmark dispute over right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information

TRINITI represented Postimees Grupp AS, biggest media group in the Baltic countries, in a dispute in which a preliminary injunction procedure was initiated against Postimees. The proceedings sought the identity of a person who sent information about an event in an Estonian school to a tip email address. According to the informer, the headmaster of the school was allegedly aware of the consumption of alcohol by a minor. Cases related to the protection of sources of information have been on the Estonian courts’ table more and more lately. Postimees objected to the release of the data and explained that according to the law, the courts cannot oblige the media to disclose sources of information in a civil case. The protection sources of information is the right and obligation of the person processing information for journalistic purposes.

The Supreme Court agreed with our client, stating that journalists have the right to refuse to give evidence and to refuse to disclose documents, in order to protect their source.

Postimees Grupp AS was represented by our media attorneys Karmen Turk and Maarja Pild.