Digital recorder stolen by Portuguese MP

A Portuguese MP suddenly interrupted an interview and took the digital recorder from the journalists. He is now being charged with robbery and affront to free speech and free press.

The recorder can contain protected information and a privacy violation will probably be discussed in court.

You can see a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_CylnffuTA

Phone-tapping scandal in Portugal

In what seemed to be a regular police investigation, ended in a phone-tapping scandal. Almost six months ago, during a regular police investigation, José Sócrates, the Portuguese prime minister, was among those whose telephone calls have been recorded. The suspect under investigation would talk several times with the prime minister but the recordings would be considered illegal and couldn’t be used in court.  Only the president of the Portuguese Supreme Court is allowed to authorise an investigation to the prime minister, and he considered the authorisation from the judge, invalid (although it would be impossible for the judge to know in advanced to whom would the suspect be talking to). Only after six months were the recordings destroyed, after what seemed to be a huge debate regarding privacy and law issues and the use of recordings in courts, particularly those from politicians. In the meanwhile, for the first time, a Portuguese prime minister has to answer to a parliamentary investigation commission.