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Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- Although reporting from situations of armed conflict significantly increases the risks to their lives, more journalists are, in fact, killed in non-conflict situations than are killed during armed conflict. Indeed, the Special Rapporteur would like to underscore the fact that the majority of casualties are not international war correspondents, but local journalists working in their own countries, mostly in peacetime, covering local stories. As highlighted in the joint statement issued by the Special Rapporteur and the three regional rapporteurs on freedom of expression, the Special Rapporteur would like to reiterate that journalists reporting on social problems, including organized crime or drug trafficking, voicing criticism of Government or the powerful, or reporting on human rights violations or corruption are at particular risk. Another factor that often places journalists at risk is reporting on environmental matters, electoral processes, demonstrations or civil disorder. The Special Rapporteur also notes that in at least 4 of every 10 cases in which journalists were murdered, the victims had reported receiving threats before they were killed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role of digital access providers 2017, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The failure to explain or acknowledge shutdowns creates the perception that they are designed to suppress reporting, criticism or dissent. Reports of repression and State-sanctioned violence in the wake of network disruptions have led to allegations that some States exploit the darkness to commit and cover up abuses. In Sudan, for example, Internet access was shut down for several hours during a deadly crackdown on demonstrators protesting fuel price hikes in September 2013.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Contemporary challenges to freedom of expression 2016, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Perhaps most concerning is that Governments often fail to provide measures of protection and accountability that can deter attacks on journalists. The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights presented alarming statistics involving killings, kidnappings and other forms of aggression against journalists in the Americas, with extremely limited accountability despite some efforts to create special mechanisms for the protection of journalists. Messages from the most senior leadership matter, as I have pointed out in the wake of threatening comments made by the leaders of Thailand and the Philippines. The widespread failure to hold perpetrators accountable for attacks on journalists suggests the absence of concern for the role that journalists play in democratic societies. My communications have highlighted reports and allegations of the failure of accountability in, among other places, South Sudan, where journalists have been killed and disappeared; Mexico, where journalists have been murdered and accountability is inconsistent; the Philippines, which after nearly seven years has not concluded its investigations and prosecutions against those responsible for the massacre of journalists in Maguindinao; and the Russian Federation, where there are multiple reports of journalists who have been murdered and the perpetrators not held to account.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also welcomes the initiatives taken by various stakeholders on the issue of the protection of journalists in armed conflict, including United Nations bodies and organizations such as the Security Council, the Human Rights Council and UNESCO. The Special Rapporteur encourages all relevant United Nations entities to coordinate their activities and responses.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- A notable trend in 2011 was the increase in the number of attacks against journalists during coverage of street protests and demonstrations, such as arbitrary arrests and detention, verbal and physical attacks, confiscation or destruction of equipment, as well as killings in countries such as Angola, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malawi, Maldives, Russian Federation, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Yemen.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Groups in need of attention, limitations to the right to freedom of expression, and protection of journalists 2010, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- On this point, it should be noted that Security Council resolution 1738 (2006) condemns intentional attacks against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict and calls upon all parties to put an end to such practices. It also urges all States to comply with the relevant obligations under international law to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- States also have an obligation to implement measures to prevent the recurrence of violence against journalists and citizen journalists, which may include ensuring that law enforcement agencies, security personnel and armed forces are provided with training on international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including their obligation to protect journalists and to respect them as civilians during armed conflict.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- In this regard, the Special Rapporteur reminds States of their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the right of citizen journalists to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds without fearing for their security (see section III.B above). Should they find themselves in situations of armed conflict, citizen journalists are also protected under international humanitarian law as civilians, in addition to the provisions under international human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Contemporary challenges to freedom of expression 2016, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- In the context of protests, it is common for journalists to be detained and prohibited from reporting. Such has been the case in Egypt, where journalists collecting information about demonstrations have been detained and charged on various grounds, including involvement in terrorism. At least seven journalists and media workers in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela were arrested and their equipment confiscated for covering looting and public protests. It may also be the case that local officials carry out their functions without appropriately taking into account the roles journalists play, in particular during protests. For instance, a journalist in Mexico covering protests was allegedly detained and severely mistreated by the local authorities. In the United States, journalists covering the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 were subjected to detention by the local authorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- While armed conflict situations may place journalists at risk, the Special Rapporteur notes that the majority of attacks against journalists take place outside of armed conflict situations. Individuals who cover public demonstrations, report on issues such as corruption, human rights violations, environmental issues, organized crime, drug trafficking, public crises or emergencies are placed at particular risk of violence. Nevertheless, the Special Rapporteur also reiterates the importance of the following concerns.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- The challenges that journalists encounter in undertaking their professional work are manifold. While the death or plight of foreign journalists in armed conflict situations frequently draw the attention of the international community, local journalists continue to face daily challenges in situations that have not reached the threshold of an armed conflict, but may be characterized by violence, lawlessness and/or repression. These range from restrictions to movement, including deportations and denial of access into a country or a particular area; arbitrary arrests and detention, particularly during public crises or demonstrations; torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including sexual violence against female journalists; confiscation of and damages to equipment, information theft, illegal surveillance and office break-ins; intimidation, including summons to police stations for questioning, harassment of family members, death threats, stigmatization and smear campaigns to discredit journalists; abductions or enforced disappearance to killings.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- Bearing in mind that standards exist in international human rights law for the protection of professional journalists outside of armed conflict situations, the Special Rapporteur urges States, with whom the primary responsibility for the protection of journalists lies, to implement those standards at the national level. This includes ensuring that no legislation is passed to unduly limit the freedom of expression of journalists, ensuring the physical and psychological integrity of journalists, and taking steps to tackle impunity for perpetrators of human rights violations against journalists.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred 2012, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- In Africa, there have been violent riots (for example, in Kenya, caused by alleged election-rigging and fuelled by tribal tension, and in Nigeria, on the basis of tribal tensions), leading to the deaths of several thousand people; attacks by Muslim villagers against Coptic Christians in Egypt; and various forms of incitement to violence and hatred on the basis of sexual orientation by politicians, the media and religious leaders in Uganda, as epitomized by the tragic killing of David Kato, whose name, photograph and description had been published by the Sunday Pepper newspaper in what it described as a "killer dossier".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- In addition, the Special Rapporteur encourages journalists and citizen journalists to be aware of the dangers involved before entering a conflict or disaster zone and to receive appropriate training, including knowledge of first aid and munitions. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur notes that a number of media organizations have formulated guidelines for journalists so that they can be better prepared for assignments in a war zone. Such guidelines include the International News Safety Institute safety code, the Charter for the Safety of Journalists Working in War Zones or Dangerous Areas, developed by Reporters without Borders, and the Journalist Safety Guide of CPJ.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- Citizen journalists have come to play an increasingly important role in gathering and disseminating news, in particular in countries where press freedom is restricted, or in a disaster or conflict zone where professional journalists may not be present. While they cannot replace professionally trained journalists, they contribute to the public's access to a richer diversity of views, opinions and information. Like professional journalists, and for the same reasons, citizen journalists are subjected to acts of harassment and intimidation, including death threats, arbitrarily arrested and detained, prosecuted and sentenced to imprisonment and/or to harsh fines, and even assassinated. However, they enjoy less protection than professional journalists, as they do not have the support of media organizations and networks, and lack recognition as professional journalists.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is alarmed and concerned that the number of journalists and media personnel killed in 2009 was the highest since 1992, and that 81 per cent of those killings were deliberate and targeted. While the risk of armed conflict increases the risk to the lives of journalists and other media professionals, more journalists were killed in non-conflict situations, mostly for reporting on organized crime or drug trafficking, environmental matters or human rights violations and corruption, or for voicing criticism of Government or the powerful.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- On 9 July 2009, the Special Rapporteur, together with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, sent an urgent appeal to the Government of China in relation to violent clashes between Han and Uighurs during demonstrations in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, during which at least 156 people were killed and more than 800 were injured. During the protests, mobile phone services were reportedly blocked and Internet connections minimized, with websites and online discussion forums ordered not to publish any material related to the protests.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- On 20 February 2009, the Special Rapporteur, together with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, sent an urgent appeal to the Government of Egypt regarding the situation of an Egyptian citizen and student blogger who, on 6 February 2009, had been arrested and allegedly beaten outside his home in Qotour city by State Security Investigations officers. On his blog, he had criticized the Egyptian policy regarding Gaza, including the restrictions on humanitarian aid delivered through Egypt to Gaza.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Several civil society organizations have also taken initiatives to address the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict. CPJ, IFJ, the International News Safety Institute, the Press Emblem Campaign and Reporters without Borders, to name only a few, have contributed significantly to raising the awareness of the international community regarding attacks against journalists and their safety concerns. Their engagement covers a wide range of actions, from providing training to journalists to the systematic reporting of attacks against and killings of journalists. These organizations have also developed a range of handbooks, codes and guidelines and safety information for journalists and other media professionals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur would also like to highlight the essential role played by ICRC in protecting journalists and other media professionals in areas of conflict. ICRC contributes to making the rules that protect journalists and civilians known and better respected and, since 1985, it has maintained a permanent hotline (+41 79 217 32 85), which is at the disposal of journalists who find themselves in trouble in armed conflicts. Journalists, as well as their employers and relatives, may alert ICRC when a journalist is missing, wounded or detained in order to request assistance. The kind of protection services that can be provided by ICRC to journalists range from seeking verification of a reported arrest and access in the framework of ICRC detention visits, providing information to relatives and employers on the whereabouts of a journalist who is being sought, maintaining family links and actively tracing missing journalists, to evacuating wounded journalists.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- UNESCO has also taken various initiatives relating to the protection of journalists as part of its mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom. For example, in 1997, the General Conference endorsed two major declarations on media assistance to conflict and post-conflict situations, as well as on the relationship between media and good governance. World Press Freedom Day 2007 focused on the theme of journalists' safety, and the participants adopted the Medellin Declaration on Securing the Safety of Journalists and Combating Impunity. In March 2008, the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) adopted a decision on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, which gave IPDC a central role in monitoring the follow-up to killings condemned by the Director-General of UNESCO. The latest report by the Director-General to the Intergovernmental Council of IPDC, on the safety of journalists and the danger of impunity, was published in March 2010.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- In addition to welcoming the resolutions of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur welcomes the convening by the Council of a discussion panel focusing specifically on the protection of journalists in armed conflict during its fourteenth session, in which he participated. The Special Rapporteur is encouraged by statements made by States condemning attacks against journalists, reiterating the obligations under existing international standards to protect journalists in armed conflict, and stressing the importance of Security Council resolution 1738 (2006). While the issue is of ongoing concern, given the fact that more journalists are killed in non-conflict situations than in armed conflict, the Special Rapporteur would encourage the convening of another panel to consider, inter alia, the protection of journalists in situations where the threshold of armed conflict has not been reached.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also welcomes the adoption by the Security Council of resolutions related to countries with regard to which it highlighted the importance of freedom of expression, expressed concern at the situation of journalists and media professionals, and encouraged peacekeeping and other missions to look into the issue. Moreover, on 14 January 2009, the Council adopted an updated aide-memoire for the consideration of issues pertaining to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, which contains a section dedicated to media and information and the protection of journalists. The aide-memoire condemned and called for the immediate cessation of attacks against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict, and encouraged United Nations peacekeeping and other relevant missions authorized by the Security Council to include a mass media component that can disseminate information about international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Various stakeholders have addressed the issue of the protection of journalists in armed conflict, including United Nations bodies and civil society organizations. On 23 December 2006, the Security Council adopted a landmark resolution on the protection of journalists in armed conflict (resolution 1738 (2006)), in which it expressed its deep concern regarding the frequency of deliberate attacks against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflict, in violation of international humanitarian law, and called upon all parties to an armed conflict to put an end to such practices. It also emphasized the responsibility of States, as well as their obligation to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for serious violations. In accordance with the request made by the Security Council through that resolution, the Secretary-General has included a section on the protection of journalists in armed conflict in his reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- One of the factors which makes it difficult to ensure the safety and protection of journalists in situations of conflict is that many current conflicts involve not States with regular armies fighting each other, but non-State actors who flout international humanitarian or human rights law. In addition, modern conflicts have become more complex owing to the involvement of multiple non-State actors, as well as the so-called "civilianization" of armed conflict and the use of new means and methods of warfare. Such factors undoubtedly exacerbate the manifold dangers faced by journalists and other media professionals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- Death is not the only result of attacks against journalists: those who return from conflict zones or dangerous assignments often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other negative psychological consequences, as well as permanent physical injuries. The Special Rapporteur therefore stresses the importance of ensuring that journalists, media professionals and associated personnel receive safety and first-aid training, that they are appropriately equipped and insured and that effective follow-up is provided to them after they have been on a dangerous assignment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- While being present in zones of conflict inevitably augments the risks posed to journalists' lives, the Special Rapporteur would like to stress that, increasingly, journalists are deliberately targeted and their work obstructed. Indeed, their role in exposing human rights abuses and atrocities and unpopular opinions or situations place them at risk of being subjected to various forms of harassment and attacks by warring parties who would prefer them to remain silent. Such acts take many forms and can range from denial of access to certain areas, censorship and harassment, abductions, arbitrary arrest and detention and enforced or involuntary disappearances to killings. Although more journalists are killed in non-conflict situations than during armed conflict (see para. 27 above), it is also worth noting that half of the countries listed as the 20 most dangerous for journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) are or were in situations of armed conflict (Afghanistan, Algeria, Colombia, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Rwanda).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur recognizes that war reporting is inherently dangerous, as journalists are exposed to dangers arising from military operations and, instead of fleeing the combat zone, often seek proximity. In his most recent reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the Secretary-General also expressed concern regarding the increasing number of journalists and media assistants killed or injured while reporting from areas of conflict, highlighting the fact that fatalities have resulted from excessive risk-taking, crossfire, or deliberate targeting by parties to a conflict. In addition, owing to their work, journalists are often suspected of being spies during armed conflicts and are either "eliminated" or used deliberately as "bargaining chips" by warring parties.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur would like to underscore the key role that journalists play in situations of armed conflict, as they shed light on events unfolding on the battlefield, including potential abuses and violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed by parties to a conflict. In the Randal case, the Appeals Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia noted that journalists working in war zones served "a public interest" because they "play a vital role in bringing to the attention of the international community the horrors and reality of conflict". In addition, in his report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the Secretary-General highlighted the important role of the media and information in the context of humanitarian operations, noting that the awareness of distant events allows informed assessment and helps humanitarian agencies to shape an appropriate response before going into a conflict area.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Journalists, confronted with attacks, threats and possible imprisonment, are often forced to flee their home countries to avoid risking their lives. Since 2001, more than 500 journalists have reportedly fled their countries of origin, and 454 remained in exile as at June 2010. At least 85 journalists fled their home countries between 1 June 2009 and 31 May 2010, double the number recorded in the previous year. In addition, at least 29 editors, reporters and photographers have fled the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 2009, the highest annual tally from a single country in a decade. Moreover, the exile rate of journalists fleeing Africa has allegedly tripled over the past year, with at least 42 journalists, most of them from Ethiopia and Somalia, fleeing their homes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
30 shown of 30 entities