Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 48

Paragraph
Paragraph text
International humanitarian law protects journalists and other media professionals in times of armed conflict. In an international armed conflict, a journalist is entitled to all rights and protection granted to civilians, as stipulated in article 79 of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I). The same protection also applies to non-international armed conflicts during which journalists are considered to be civilians by virtue of customary international law. Hence, although there are only two explicit references to media personnel under international humanitarian law (article 79 of Additional Protocol I, regarding journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict, and article 4A(4) of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (Third Geneva Convention), regarding, inter alia, war correspondents), all provisions related to the protection of civilians in the four Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols thereto are applicable to journalists.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
  • Governance & Rule of Law
  • Humanitarian
Year
2010
Paragraph type
Other
Reference
SR Freedom of Opinion, Report to the UNGA (2010), A/65/284, para. 48.
Paragraph number
48