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LONDON – Europe’s top human rights organization is seeking answers from Britain over the detention of a high-profile reporter’s partner and the destruction of hard drives carrying documents leaked by former U.S. intelligence worker Edward Snowden.

British officials have been criticized after using terrorism legislation to confiscate data being ferried to journalist Glenn Greenwald by his partner, David Miranda, and ordering the destruction of computer equipment belonging to Greenwald’s newspaper, the Guardian.

In an open letter to British Home Secretary Theresa May, Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland said that such measures “may have a potentially chilling effect on journalists’ freedom of expression” and asked her to explain how her government’s actions were in line with European law.

May’s office did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

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