NSA removes The Journal from campus in election row

Copies of the latest edition of The Journal have been removed from Edinburgh Napier University campuses in a row over an article covering the Napier Students’ Association (NSA) presidential election.

The move came after The Journal published a front page story reporting that presidential candidate Nathan Sparling is attempting to bring a vote of no confidence against current president Kasia Bylinska, who is seeking re-election in next weeks' vote.

An internal memo from the NSA Elections Committee seen by The Journal said: “Under the front page headline ‘War breaks out at NSA’, various attributed and non-attributed comments appeared in an article in which NS [Nathan Sparling] discusses his plan to no confidence KB [Kasia Bylinska] and gives some reasons [for a vote of no confidence].”

“It was agreed that unsubstantiated comments constituted defamation and the Elections Committee had been very clear about candidates making such remarks about others. Legally, even if made to one person, defamation or comments that could be construed as such could occur.

“There were concerns about some attributed and non-attributed comments in the Journal article, which was circulated across the city.”

The document resolves to “instruct removal of copies of The Journal from campus, and inform the editor of the publication that this was a temporary measure.”

Paris Gourtsoyannis, editor of The Journal said, “I am baffled by the action taken by the NSA Elections Committee; I still haven’t been contacted by anyone at NSA.

“Not only does their action make a nonsense of the principles of free speech and freedom of the press—which one might expect to be fairly well entrenched at one of Scotland’s leading journalism universities—but their decision has no basis in fact.

“There are no unattributed quotes in the article in question, nor do Mr Sparling’s comments constitute defamation under UK law. Ms Bylinska was given the opportunity to comment, and availed herself of it fully. She was not misquoted.

“Clearly NSA need to sort out whether they are electing a new president or deposing the current one; that isn’t served in the least bit, however, by imposing a dubious media blackout until polling day.”

According a source inside NSA, the Societies’ Executive Committee (SEC) is issuing an official statement on behalf of all their members stating that they are against the censure of free speech in the University, asking that the NSA replace the papers and explain its actions.

Speaking to The Journal from the NUS Scotland conference in Dunfermline, where she is representing NSA, Ms Bylinska said: “I cannot comment at this time, as I am a candidate in the current election.”

The Journal understands that Mr Sparling is still short of the required amount of 30 signatures from student representatives for a vote of no confidence to be called. However, it has been suggested that Napier’s SEC are trying to get the 150 signatures from ordinary students to bypass the requirement.

Speaking to the Journal Stuart Campbell, the NSA Campaigns & Representation Officer said: "NSA should never knowingly enter into any situation which breaches laws or international agreements including the Universal declaration of Human Rights, which protects the right to expression and the right to free speech. Banning a student newspaper from university campuses could well be in breach of both these rights."

It is unknown at this time what has happened to the missing issues. Mr Gourtsoyannis indicated that if the editions have been destroyed, the Journal would be seeking restitution for the expense of printing the editions.

“The bill could run to several hundred pounds,” he said. The Journal distributes 1,150 editions to Napier campuses every fortnight.