By Loïc Dorthe / GICJ

Despite their crucial work in providing public access to information, journalists are increasingly targeted in an effort to silence their voices. The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on 6 October 2022 to strengthen their protection and allow them to work in a safe and enabling environment. All 47 members accepted the resolution by consensus which required no vote. 

Journalists are routinely killed, arbitrarily detained, and subject to online abuse and surveillance, for carrying out their work. To counter abuses increasingly perpetrated by governments, the Council adopted resolution H_HRC_51_L.14. It specifically highlights the work of journalists as paramount and urges states to implement concrete measures to this effect. This includes making efforts to address the misuse of national defamation laws against journalists, establishing prevention and protection mechanisms, and ensuring accountability. 

All delegations participating in the final discussion welcomed the resolution. They recognised the importance of independent and diverse sources of media to ensure the fulfilment of the right to freedom of expression, to provide access to information, to ensure the proper functioning of democratic institutions, and to ensure respect for human rights norms. Ukraine particularly welcomed the resolution, explaining that since the outbreak of war, 46 journalists have been attacked by Russian forces. The representative reiterated the importance of their work in bringing out the truth about violations of humanitarian law.  

Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) welcomes the resolution to protect journalists and hopes that it will improve their working conditions. However, we recall that journalists and media outlets are still being targeted, and many areas of conflict remain inaccessible to journalists.

HRC51, Human Rights Council, UN, United Nations, Journalists, Safety of Journalists, Reporting, Geneva, Justice, Geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre for Justice