Dutch Newspaper NRC Handelsblad (NRC) reports that the Public Prosecutor has used “coercive measures” against journalists no less than 15 times over the past 3 years. 

In information sourced from the Open Government Act, data reports that the coercive measures included; retrieving phone data, eavesdropping on telephone calls, and the requisition of journalistic materials.

Ferdinand Grapperhaus – Minister of Justice and Security has said that he knows of three incidents where coercive measures were used against journalists.  However the data received by NRC shows some 15 incidents.

In a letter to Government, Ferdinand Grapperhaus is quoted as saying “in the other cases the source protection was not at stake or the violation of source protection was justified, with the exception of one case”

The Public Procescutor has previously admitted to “not following the proper procedures when eavesdropping on journalists”.