Article by Cicero
Source: Rodrigo Arangua / AFP / GETTY
Today, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation refused to hand over the Panama Papers to the Canadian Revenue Agency.
The group publishing the Panama Papers, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, claimed other media outlets have denied similar requests from other tax revenue agencies.
On April 7, Süddeutsche Zeitung, the German newspaper that first received Panama papers, announced it would avoid publishing all files, claiming not all leaked information is of sufficient public interest.
This statement arrived two days after Wikileaks questioned the motives behind the leaks and advocated for a total release of the information.
The group publishing the Panama Papers, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, claimed other media outlets have denied similar requests from other tax revenue agencies.
On April 7, Süddeutsche Zeitung, the German newspaper that first received Panama papers, announced it would avoid publishing all files, claiming not all leaked information is of sufficient public interest.
This statement arrived two days after Wikileaks questioned the motives behind the leaks and advocated for a total release of the information.
Former PM of Iceland, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson. Source: Brynjar Gunnarsson / AP
Wikileaks attacked the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists for using the Panama Papers as a controlled smear attack. Wikileaks criticized the ICIJ’s ties to Ford and Soros funds and organizations based in Washington, DC.
Süddeutsche Zeitung received the Panama Papers in early 2015 then suddenly leaked information to dozens of media outlets a few weeks ago.
The ICIJ partnered with Süddeutsche Zeitung to publish selected documents from the leak and coordinate investigations of the content.
On April 3, the world first learned that Süddeutsche Zeitung possessed around 11.5 million leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm named Mossack Fonseca.
The firm allegedly helped politicians, businessmen and other elites create offshore companies to hide their wealth from tax authorities.
After considering his own connections to Mossack Fonseca, Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson stepped down while Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, the vice chairman of his Progressive Party, assumed office as prime minister.
It’s important to note Gunnlaugsson gained office after riding a wave of popular resentment in 2013.
Leading the InDefence movement, the former journalist attacked policies of bailing out international creditors with Icelandic funds.
Still, last year Gunnlaugsson approved a controversial deal that benefitted these same creditors, particularly Wintris, Inc.
The secrecy behind this controlled leak has raised as many questions, since the information itself remains in the hands of a select group of journalists.
"We’re not WikiLeaks. We’re trying to show that journalism can be done responsibly," ICIJ Director Gerard Ryle said in a Wired Magazine interview.
"When they are saying this is responsible journalism, I totally disagree with the overall tone of that,” said Wikileaks spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson in an interview with RT.
“That is what I’d want to see with these Panama Papers, they should be available to the general public in such a manner, so everybody, not just the group of journalists working on the data, can search it.”
Süddeutsche Zeitung received the Panama Papers in early 2015 then suddenly leaked information to dozens of media outlets a few weeks ago.
The ICIJ partnered with Süddeutsche Zeitung to publish selected documents from the leak and coordinate investigations of the content.
On April 3, the world first learned that Süddeutsche Zeitung possessed around 11.5 million leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm named Mossack Fonseca.
The firm allegedly helped politicians, businessmen and other elites create offshore companies to hide their wealth from tax authorities.
After considering his own connections to Mossack Fonseca, Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson stepped down while Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, the vice chairman of his Progressive Party, assumed office as prime minister.
It’s important to note Gunnlaugsson gained office after riding a wave of popular resentment in 2013.
Leading the InDefence movement, the former journalist attacked policies of bailing out international creditors with Icelandic funds.
Still, last year Gunnlaugsson approved a controversial deal that benefitted these same creditors, particularly Wintris, Inc.
The secrecy behind this controlled leak has raised as many questions, since the information itself remains in the hands of a select group of journalists.
"We’re not WikiLeaks. We’re trying to show that journalism can be done responsibly," ICIJ Director Gerard Ryle said in a Wired Magazine interview.
"When they are saying this is responsible journalism, I totally disagree with the overall tone of that,” said Wikileaks spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson in an interview with RT.
“That is what I’d want to see with these Panama Papers, they should be available to the general public in such a manner, so everybody, not just the group of journalists working on the data, can search it.”
All #PanamaPapers released so far (149 out of 11.5 million) https://t.co/JPTCen0jxV
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 4, 2016