Journalism
is a dangerous occupation. Statistics collected by media freedom organizations
show that each year dozens of media professionals are killed or injured in the
course of their work. Elections can be dangerous for journalists, and tense and
sometimes violent campaigns or announcement of results can expose those trying
to report honestly and accurately.
The
responsibility for protecting the physical security of everyone within its
territory rests with the government, which has a particular obligation in
relation to the media. It was in recognition of this that the 1993 World
Conference on Human Rights resolved:
The World Conference encourages the increased involvement of
the media, for whom freedom and protection should be guaranteed within the
framework of national law.[i]
There
are a few basic steps that governments can take to ensure this protection:
- Repeal all laws restricting
media freedom.
- Make it a specific offence
to carry out violence or threats against the media.
- Ensure that all reports of
violence or threats against the media are investigated promptly and those
responsible brought to justice.
International
Humanitarian Law (Geneva Conventions) makes specific reference to the
protection of journalists, stating “[j]ournalists engaged in dangerous
professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as
civilians”[ii] and provided with the
same protection as civilians. Additional protection is provided to war correspondents
who are accompanying, or affiliated with, armed forces. In such cases
correspondents are afforded prisoner of war status if captured, and other
rights equivalent to civilian members of armed forces.[iii] The International
Committee for the Red Cross has a dedicated hotline for journalists (and their
employers and families) in trouble in conflict situations. Thus journalists
covering elections in conflict-affected areas are protected under international
law, although implementation of these protections by national governments often
remains inadequate.[iv]
In
addition, an electoral management body (EMB) can promote a code of conduct that
stresses the importance of both political parties and security forces allowing
journalists to go about their work unimpeded.
See
section Media Safety for more
information
[i] “World
Conference on Human Rights, Vienna Declaration”, para. 26.
[ii] “Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions
of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International
Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977”, (Diplomatic Conference of
Geneva of 1974-1977),
Article
79, http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/FULL/470?OpenDocument
