Interbrew case 'must go to European court'

Five media groups being sued by the Belgian brewer Interbrew should have their case heard by European judges before any further action is taken against them in the UK courts, an international organisation for press freedom said yesterday.

The Independent, The Financial Times, The Times, The Guardian and Reuters news agency face contempt of court proceedings for failing to comply with an order to hand over leaked documents relating to Interbrew's proposed takeover of South African Breweries.

But yesterday the International Press Institute (IPI) called for the organisations to be given time to exhaust "all legal remedies", including a possible hearing before the European Court of Human Rights. It was "intolerable" that the organisations could be forced to hand over the documents or face fines or imprisonment before such a hearing. On Friday Interbrew's solicitors visited all five companies to try to enforce a High Court order granted to the Belgian brewer last year and on each occasion left empty-handed.

The Independent and the other groups have told Interbrew that disclosure of the documents may lead to the identity of their sources being revealed.

Johann Fritz, director of IPI, said: "The lawyers acting for Interbrew should desist from their attempts at executing the judgment or returning to the courts to attach penalties against the editors.''

Simon Kelner, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent, said: "We have clearly set out our position which is to protect our journalist sources. The principle is fundamental to a free press in a democratic society, and is one we shall continue to defend."