London, January 23 (RHC)-- In a victory for press freedom in Britain, an appeals court has ruled the UK's sweeping counterterrorism laws are "incompatible" with fundamental rights. 

The case concerns David Miranda, partner of investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald, who used documents from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to expose U.S. mass surveillance.

Miranda was detained and questioned for nine hours at London's Heathrow Airport in 2013 under British counterterrorism laws while transporting some of the Snowden documents.  

Last year, the High Court in London dismissed a challenge by Miranda, saying his actions met the law’s definition of terrorism. But now, the appeals court partially overturned that ruling.