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| Austria introduce the resolution |
(Geneva) On 27th September during its 21st session the Human Rights Council unanimously passed a resolution on safety of the journalists. The resolution condemns in the strongest terms all attacks and violence against journalists and expresses its concerns on the growing threats to safety of journalists posed by non-State actors as well.
OHCHR web site says: Austria, introducing the draft resolution said that the resolution put the issue of safety of journalists squarely on the agenda of the Human Rights Council and there were three main elements.
Firstly, it made a clear
statement in condemning attacks against journalists. Secondly, it expressed a
clear concern about the widespread impunity in the aftermath of attacks against
journalists and in that context, called on States to ensure accountability by
investigating those attacks and bringing perpetrators to justice. Thirdly, it
encouraged States to put in place a safe and enabling protection environment
for journalists, to be able to fulfil their important role in providing
information to the public.
The resolution also emphasised
the importance of good practices in the area of the protection of journalists
and to this effect requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights to prepare a compilation of good practices for the twenty-fourth
session.
Full text of the resolution
fellows:
Human Rights Council
Twenty-first session
Agenda item 3
Guided by the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Reaffirming
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and recalling relevant
international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention for the Protection of
All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, as well as the Geneva Conventions of
1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto of 8 June 1977,
Recalling
all relevant resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Human
Rights Council on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, in particular
Council resolutions 12/16 of 2 October 2009, 13/24 of 26 March 201020/8 of 5
July 2012,
Mindful
that the right to freedom of opinion and expression is a human right
guaranteed to all in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, and that it constitutes one of the essential foundations of a
democratic society and one of the basic conditions for its progress and
development,
Reaffirming
that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person,
Recognizing
the importance of all forms of the media, including the printed media,
radio, television and the Internet, in the exercise, promotion and protection
of the right to freedom of opinion and expression,
Acknowledging
the particular role played by journalists in matters of public interest,
including by raising awareness of human rights,
Underlining
the importance of voluntary professional principles and ethics developed
and observed by the media,
Recognizing
that the work of journalists often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence,
Acknowledging
the specific risks faced by women journalists in the exercise of their
work, and underlining, in this context, the importance of taking a
gender-sensitive approach when considering measures to address the safety of
journalists,
Taking
note of the good practices of different countries aiming at the protection of
journalists, as well as, inter alia, those designed for the protection of human
rights defenders that can, where applicable, be relevant to the protection of
journalists,
Underlining
the important role of regional and subregional organizations in the
safety of journalists,
Welcoming
the important work of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization for the safety of journalists,
Taking
note of the International Conference on Protection of Journalists in
Dangerous Situations, held on 22 and 23 January 2012 in Doha,
1. Reaffirms the rights contained in the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in particular the right
of everyone to hold opinions without interference, and the right to freedom of
expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in
print, in the form of art or through any other media of their choice;
2. Takes note of the reports of the
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of
opinion and expression[1] and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary
or arbitrary executions,[2] presented to
the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session, and the interactive dialogue
thereon;
3 Expresses its concern that violations of
the right to freedom of opinion and expression continue to occur, including
increased attacks against and killings of journalists and media workers, and
stressing the need to ensure greater protection for all media professionals and
for journalistic sources;
4 Condemns in the strongest term all
attacks and violence against journalists, such as torture, extrajudicial
killings, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention, as well as
intimidation and harassment;
5 Expresses its concern that there is
a growing threat to the safety of journalists posed by non-State actors,
including terrorist groups and criminal organizations;
6 Calls
on all parties to armed conflict to respect their obligations under
international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including
their obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and, where
applicable, the Additional Protocols thereto of 8 June 1977, the provisions of
which extend protection to journalists in situations of armed conflict, and to
allow, within the framework of applicable rules and procedures, media access
and coverage, as appropriate, in situations of international and non-international
armed conflict;
7. Expresses its concern that attacks
against journalists often occur with impunity, and calls upon States to ensure
accountability through the conduct of impartial, speedy and effective
investigations into such acts falling within their jurisdiction, and to bring
to justice those responsible and to ensure that victims have access to
appropriate remedies;
8. Calls upon States to promote a safe
and enabling environment for journalists to perform their work independently
and without undue interference, including by means of (a) legislative measures;
(b) awareness-raising in the judiciary, law enforcement officers and military
personnel, as well as journalists and civil society, regarding international
human rights and humanitarian law obligations and commitments relating to the
safety of journalists; (c) the monitoring and reporting of attacks against
journalists; (d) publicly condemning attacks; and (e) dedicating necessary
resources to investigate and prosecute such attacks;
9. Encourages States to put in place
voluntary protection programmes for journalists, based on local needs and
challenges, including protection measures that take into account the individual
circumstances of the persons at risk, as well as, where applicable, the good
practices in different countries;
10. Invites
relevant special procedures of the Human Rights Council, as appropriate, in
the framework of their mandates, to continue to address the relevant aspects of
the safety of journalists in their work;
11. Stresses the need to ensure better
cooperation and coordination at the international level with regard to ensuring
the safety of journalists, including with regional organizations, and invites United
Nations agencies, funds and programmes, other international and regional
organizations, Member States and all relevant stakeholders, when applicable and
in the scope of their mandates, to cooperate further in the implementation of
the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of
Impunity, elaborated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization and endorsed by the United Nations System Chief Executives Board
for Coordination;
12. Requests the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in collaboration with the Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion
and expression, to prepare, working in consultation with States and other
relevant stakeholders, a compilation of good practices in the protection of
journalists, the prevention of attacks and the fight against impunity for
attacks committed against journalists, and to present the compilation in a
report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-fourth session.
