Tactics and tools for the protection
of Human Rights Defenders

Geneva (18 September) (PEC) Addressing the second session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) which kicks off today in Geneva, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) expresses its profound worry at the continued deterioration of the conditions of work of journalists in wars, internal conflicts and that of civil unrest.

Journalists are under attack only because of their profession. Up to date no solution has been reached to solve the continued tragedy of journalists including the violation of their right to life.

The PEC has appealed to the Human Rights Council, during its first session, to act in order to improve the protection of journalists.

So far the PEC has not received any response which renders the situation shameful, disrespectful to human rights, humanitarian law, and the freedom of expression.

We, members of the Press Emblem Campaign, supported by more than 50.000 journalists around the world, believe that the HRC is the appropriate organ to launch the discussion in an open-ended working group to take concrete steps.

Condemnation speeches and studies are not enough. Killing of journalists are now well documented by press organizations.

Since the first session of the HRW, June 19, 28 journalists were killed in: Angola (2), Brazil (1), China (2), Colombia (2), DRCongo (1) Guatemala (1), Iraq (8), Kazakhstan (1), Lebanon (1), Mexico (1), Pakistan (2), Philippines (1), Russia (1), Somalia (1), Sri Lanka (1), Sudan (1), Turkmenistan (1). Other 5 media assistants were killed: 2 in Sri Lanka, 1 in Afghanistan, 1 in Lebanon, 1 in Somalia.

The PEC calls upon member states of the HRC and the Special Rapporteur entrusted with the freedom of expression Mr. Ligabo to give serious attention to this unresolved problem.

A clock count on all journalists killed since the inauguration of the HRC will be undertaken by the PEC board, in a similar move like that of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), carried within the Ottawa process for mine victims.

The Ottawa process is a living example of success where world public opinion has made a difference in developing a binding treaty in favor of landmine victims.

Today, in Geneva, parallel to the second session of the HRC, the 7th meeting of the Parties to the Ottawa treaty has kicked off, thus marking the continued efforts by the process to clear the world from landmines and to alleviate the suffering of landmine victims’ survivors.

Media organizations must follow suit in the absence of a special Convention to protect journalists in war zones and zones of civil unrest.

Since the beginning of this year, at least 51 journalists were killed and 17 media assistants: this toll, 68 media workers killed is already higher than the record year of 2005 (with at least 63 media employees killed).

The massacre of media must stop.

We urge governments to comply with International Law and the Universal Declaration on Human rights and move forward to establish a working group on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council to deliberate on a draft convention for the protection of journalists.

The PEC board