London authorities today arrested WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in relation to an extradition warrant on behalf of U.S. authorities.

Jameel Jaffer, Executive Director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, issued the following response:

“The indictment and the Justice Department’s press release treat everyday journalistic practices as part of a criminal conspiracy. Whether the government will be able to establish a violation of the hacking statute remains to be seen, but it’s very troubling that the indictment sweeps in activities that are not just lawful but essential to press freedom—activities like cultivating sources, protecting sources’ identities, and communicating with sources securely.”

For more information, contact: Lorraine Kenny, Communications Director, Knight Institute, 646-745-8510, lorraine.kenny@knightcolumbia.org.