"The problem of the protection of journalists is closely linked to that of freedom of information and was first considered as early as 1893/94. In 1927 a conference of press experts held in Geneva adopted various resolutions for their submission to member states. These resolutions addressed a range
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of issues, including the treatment of foreign journalists and specific proposals for the prevention of violence against journalists. Among these, in particular, was the establishment of an identity card for journalists. Unfortunately these resolutions were of no consequence and the problem was never addressed again." (Abstract)
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"The recent war in Iraq is a perfect illustration of the growing risks faced by journalists working in conflict zones. It is therefore important to call renewed attention to the fact that attacks against journalists and media equipment are illegal under international humanitarian law, which protects
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civilian persons and objects, as long as they are not making an effective contribution to military action. The media cannot be considered a legitimate target, even if they are being used for propaganda purposes, unless they are being exploited to instigate grave breaches of humanitarian law. Journalists and media personnel also benefit from precautionary measures – not confined to them alone – such as the principle of proportionality and the obligation to give advance warning. There is nonetheless an evident need for the adoption of a new instrument, on the one hand to reaffirm those elements of humanitarian law that apply to journalists and media personnel, and thus to re-establish the authority of certain basic rules that are all too often flouted, and, on the other hand, to improve existing law and adapt it to the requirements of today, for instance the phenomenon of “embedded” journalists. Such is the goal of the “Declaration on the safety of journalists and media personnel in situations involving armed conflict,” drawn up in 2003 by Reporters without Borders." (Abstract)
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"It is the goal of this note to explore this problem with a particular emphasis on potential methods by which the international community can work to protect the press. In order to better understand this problem as it exists today, this note begins with a historical analysis of the development of in
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ternational efforts to remedy and prevent it. This analysis is not meant to be comprehensive, but merely to provide some insight into the historical development of this problem on the international stage. In the interest of continuity, this historical analysis is organized with an overall topical structure as opposed to a strictly chronological one. This note then addresses a variety of methods by which the international community could take action to protect journalists in the future. It is ultimately the goal of this note to generate workable suggestions for a future regime, both preventative and punitive. Although it remains unclear what can be done in the aftermath of one of the single most lethal years for journalists in the history of the profession, it is deadly clear that something must be done." (Abstract)
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"This article identifies a trend in international law addressing the murders of journalists in Latin America. Recent cases by international human-rights tribunals are analyzed for their holdings that murders of journalists violate the free-expression guarantees of the American Convention on Human Ri
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ghts, the hemisphere's leading human rights treaty. These rulings required governments to investigate attacks on the press in good faith, punish journalists' assailants, indemnify journalists' survivors, and protect journalists working in war zones. This article concludes that this international case law, though developing slowly, offers a new weapon in the fight against vengeful and violent attacks on the press." (Abstract)
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"Journalists' on professional assignments often face hostile actions by political and military authorities, de jure or de facto. Such hostility ranges in severity from censorship, utilization of harsh laws of defamation, restriction or denial of access to sources of information, denial or revocation
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of a work permit or license, denial of entry or exit visa, restriction of movement, and expulsion; to detention, disappearance, attack, torture, and even murder." (Abstract)
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