whistleblowers

"Defending whistleblowers is one of the objectives of Wikileaks, " he said.

The video was leaked to Assange from what he said was "a number of military whistleblowers" and published on the Internet.

BP's troubles in the US intensified when the company shut 12 Alaskan oil wells yesterday after whistleblowers said some 50 had been leaking.

In 2007, the company agreed to pay $515 million to settle federal lawsuits brought by whistleblowers in Massachusetts and Florida.

"We were the whistleblowers and they leapt in and ensured there was action on the ground, " said Ms Clark.

Whistleblowers are persons who make a disclosure about improper conduct in a public or private organisation.

Critics say that the policies lack provisions to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.

In the last year and a half at least 10 experts, whistleblowers and BP connected individuals have died under mysterious circumstances.

Whistleblowers have told the Guardian that the list of spills recorded in the documents is the tip of the iceberg.

Despite the potential for huge rewards, however, life can be hellish for whistleblowers.

And, because ISPs answer to other ISPs, not governments, dissidents and whistleblowers could maintain their anonymity.

The Serious Fraud Office has now established a whistleblowers' helpline for City workers worried about their employers.

Ellsberg and two other former whistleblowers warned that US agencies would "do all possible to make an example" of the Wikileaks founder.

Journalists use Tor to communicate more safely with whistleblowers and dissidents.

Encouraging whistleblowers can stop frauds, so the belief goes.

The study authors urge more education on the subject, and protection and privacy for whistleblowers.

Whistleblowers play big role in exposing crimes.

This has a chilling effect on potential whistleblowers.

The writer is acting director of Public Concern at Work, a charity supporting whistleblowers