Urgent – Letter to the Editor of Knack
Subject: Qatargate and the Ethical Failure of Knack’s Journalism
Dear Editor,
I am writing as a reader deeply troubled by information emerging from judicial records and reported by Jean Quatremer in Libération concerning the role played by Knack journalist Kristof Clerix in the media coverage of the Qatargate affair.
According to these materials—now examined by Belgian courts—Knack was not merely reporting on a sensitive judicial investigation. Its journalist appears to have been in direct and repeated contact with police, prosecutors, and state security officials, including participation in pre-operation meetings, advance knowledge of searches and arrests, and the circulation of draft articles prior to police action.
If these facts are accurate—and Knack has not publicly challenged them—they represent a profound breach of journalistic ethics.
Journalism relies on independence, skepticism, and distance from power. When a journalist coordinates timing with law-enforcement authorities, validates investigative narratives in advance, or aligns coverage with operational objectives, journalism ceases to be journalism. It becomes strategic communication.
In the Qatargate affair, Knack’s reporting—led by Kristof Clerix—did not merely inform the public. It helped construct and amplify a prosecutorial narrative at a moment when facts were incomplete, evidence contested, and the presumption of innocence essential. Leaked information was published in a largely uncritical and incriminating form, while doubts and exculpatory elements were sidelined.
This is not investigative courage. It is institutional proximity.
In practice—whatever the intentions—such conduct resembles the role of an auxiliary to police or security services rather than that of an independent journalist tasked with holding those institutions to account. When journalists act this way, they do not strengthen democracy; they weaken it.
The consequences are now visible. The Qatargate investigation itself is under judicial scrutiny for irregularities, and may yet collapse. Should that occur, the responsibility will not rest solely with magistrates or investigators. Media actors who abandoned professional distance in favor of access and exclusivity will also bear responsibility for the damage done.
To date, Knack has offered no serious public explanation, no ethical review, and no acknowledgment of the gravity of these revelations.
That silence is incompatible with the values Knack claims to represent.
At a minimum, your publication owes its readers:
• a transparent account of its relationship with police and security services in the Qatargate affair;
• an independent ethical assessment of Kristof Clerix’s conduct;
• and clear editorial consequences.
Given the seriousness of what has been disclosed, retaining journalists who appear to have crossed the line between reporting and collaboration sends a dangerous message: that influence and proximity matter more than independence and integrity.
I urge Knack to act decisively—not to protect reputations, but to defend journalism itself.
Sincerely,
Investigative Team
Brussels Watch Ediorial Board
