People who reveal illegal or grossly unethical behavior of others in order to inform the public and make sure these acts have proper consequences are called whistleblowers. Snowden and Manning are two of the most well-known whistleblowers.
Liberties, an active presence in the fight for better protections for whistleblowers, recently submitted its position on the EU's new Directive on whistleblower protections.
Personal and legal jeopardy
Whistleblowers risk their career, their wellbeing and even expose themselves to slander, libel and the possibility of prison time. They usually report about corruption, mismanagement, fraud or threats to national security.
While revealing this information, they often break the law themselves. They get access to databases or download data without authorization, make illegal recordings or leak information. They usually break the law in order to reveal more serious crimes.
But their work is vital to our freedom and democracy. Whistleblowers are helping us, citizens, to hold people in power to account.
Safeguards needed
Liberties has been arguing that EU-level whistleblower protection is important for properly functioning democracy. This is why we support the European Commission's decision to elaborate a draft Directive on the protection of whistleblowers.
Liberties, however, would like to see more safeguards in the Directive. Therefore, we submitted our opinion (link) to the Commission on the draft Directive. Our main arguments are the following:
- Liberties is of the opinion that EU-wide whistleblower protection needed. Proper whistleblower protection sends a strong message to lawmakers even beyond the borders of the EU.
- Liberties believes that the scope of the draft Directive should be broadened, not only employees but also people in neutral positions deserve protection, since they can also reveal illegal or grossly unethical activities.
- Non-governmental organizations, such as anti-corruption NGOs, or organizations for investigative journalists, could help whistleblowers to reveal information. In many cases, these are organizations that people view as more trustworthy than any public-sector organization. The possibility to turn to these organizations should be supported by the draft Directive, and protection and safeguards should be offered in these cases as well.
- The possibility for anonymous reporting would encourage people to take a risk and report illegal or unethical activities. The draft Directive should require both internal and external channels to offer anonymous reporting.
- Liberties believes that further safeguards are needed, such as economic, legal and physical protections for whistleblowers.
