The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Incident

United States prosecutes former CIA officer John Kiriakou under the Espionage Act for identifying a covert colleague to a journalist

United StatesRSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180

Engraving of an empty press briefing room with a lectern and rows of chairs

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who in 2007 was the first CIA officer to publicly describe the agency's waterboarding of a detainee, pleaded guilty to identifying a covert colleague to a journalist and was sentenced under the Espionage Act to 30 months in prison.1234

What happened

John Kiriakou, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, said publicly in a 2007 television interview that the CIA had waterboarded a detainee, the first time an agency officer had confirmed the practice, which international bodies have called torture. Federal prosecutors later charged Kiriakou under the Espionage Act, a 1917 law against disclosing defense information, for identifying a covert CIA officer to a freelance journalist investigating the interrogation program; the journalist did not publish the name. Kiriakou pleaded guilty in October 2012 to one count of passing information to a person not authorized to receive it. U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride said Kiriakou "put the life of a covert officer at risk." On January 25, 2013, Judge Leonie Brinkema sentenced him to 30 months, the statutory minimum under his plea agreement, saying she "wished she could have imposed a greater sentence." No CIA official involved in the interrogation program was prosecuted.1234

What reason was given

Stated justification

U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride said, "John Kiriakou put the life of a covert officer at risk; he put the officer's family in danger; and he exposed our nation's vital secrets." Prosecutors also said Kiriakou was motivated by "fame and money."1

What changed for reporting

Kiriakou, not the journalist he spoke with, was prosecuted and imprisoned; press-freedom advocates said the case showed sources faced Espionage Act prosecution for contact with reporters even when no story identifying the covert officer was published.2

Timeline

2013

25 January 2013
United States prosecutes former CIA officer John Kiriakou under the Espionage Act for identifying a covert colleague to a journalist

Who acted

NameRole in this incidentOffice at the time
Barack ObamaotherPresident of the United States (2009-2017)
John KiriakouotherFormer Central Intelligence Agency officer
Leonie BrinkemaorderedJudge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Neil MacBrideorderedU.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia

Sources

  1. Former CIA Officer Gets 30 Months in Prison for Leak archived copyABC News, 2013-01-25, reporting. Source record

Claims and evidence

Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.

  1. U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride said Kiriakou endangered a covert officer and exposed vital secrets.John Kiriakou put the life of a covert officer at risk; he put the officer's family in danger; and he exposed our nation's vital secrets.Former CIA Officer Gets 30 Months in Prison for Leak archived copy, ABC News, 2013-01-25.Claim 220, checked 2026-09-22.
  2. Judge Leonie Brinkema said she wished she could have imposed a longer sentence than the plea agreement allowed.wished she could have imposed a greater sentence.Former CIA Officer Gets 30 Months in Prison for Leak archived copy, ABC News, 2013-01-25.Claim 221, checked 2026-09-22.
  3. Prosecutors said Kiriakou's disclosures were motivated by fame and money.motivated by fame and moneyFormer CIA Officer Gets 30 Months in Prison for Leak archived copy, ABC News, 2013-01-25.Claim 222, checked 2026-09-22.
  4. Prosecutors said Kiriakou's conduct amounted to a campaign to raise his media profile.concerted campaign to raise his media profile.Former CIA Officer Gets 30 Months in Prison for Leak archived copy, ABC News, 2013-01-25.Claim 223, checked 2026-09-22.