Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 53
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- Hence, as civilians, all journalists, whether accredited to or embedded with the forces involved, attached to adversary forces or operating unilaterally, are provided with comprehensive protection under international humanitarian law during armed conflict, provided they do not directly participate in hostilities. The Special Rapporteur would like to discourage the granting of special protection or special status to journalists under international law, as this would necessitate the formulation of a precise definition of journalists as a protected category and the clearer identification of journalists in armed conflict, both of which could potentially lead to significantly decreased protection for journalists. The former might require journalists to be duly accredited and recognized by some public authority, thus increasing interference by the State, and the latter might place journalists in further danger, since many are targeted precisely because they are journalists, as explained above. Thus, the Special Rapporteur firmly believes that existing standards are sufficient, but that respect for and the implementation of such standards must be strengthened.
- 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. 53.
- Paragraph number
- 53
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