Alya Abu-Zayed
binding, and so this
resolution to protect journalists is simply a statement,
ast September, the United Nations Human
rather than any sort of law. It does nothing to monitor
Rights Council adopted a new resolution prothe compliance of member states or send any form of
tecting the safety of journalists internationally,
protection to journalists. RWB firmly states that govproposed by several countries, including
ernments must establish investigative
France and Austria. Describing measures to protect the
procedures and prosecute those who do
media, it asks that member states “promote a safe and
harm to journalists, calls for a position in
enabling environment for journalists to perform their
the UN to monitor compliance, and for “the creation of
work independently” and condemns communications
mechanisms for implementing international law.”
surveillance3 all recommended by Reporters Without
Borders (RWB), a non-profit organisation that defends Do I agree that journalists should be protected? Well,
freedom of information.
as a human being: yes. As an aspiring reporter, hell yes.
But whether or not I think that having a new position in
According to the RWB, 62 journalists were killed and
the UN for this specific job would work is another thing.
another 176 imprisoned as of the 29th of November
Having a Human Rights Council does very little to stop
2014 worldwide. With the highest being Syria on 12,
human rights violations internationally, (see: extrajudidue to Islamic State, and 7 in Palestine-Israel, during
cial executions in DRC, collective punishment in Israeli
the siege on Gaza, it’s clear that recent global conflict
occupied territory, exploitation of workers in Qatar,
has significantly increased these figures. With the rise
water shut-offs in Detroit. But apart from being
of many more extremist terror groups, what is the in“condemned”, what happens? Since the UN is so dividternational community doing to stop this?
ed on almost every issue, there’s always at least one
Well firstly, Human Rights Council decisions are noncountry that vetoes a resolution, preventing any sort of
L
French photojournalist Alexandra Boulat, 2002.
4