UN adopts resolution condemning attacks on journalists during armed conflicts

On December 23 the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution #1738 which condemned attacks on journalists during armed conflicts and urged combatants to stop such practice.

Murders of civilians - journalists and other media personnel in armed conflicts are considered to be “war crimes”.

The Council also resumed its demand that each warring side is obliged to obey the norms of international law by defending civilians during armed conflict. The UN also emphasizes states’ responsibility about this issue, as well as their responsibility to punish offenders for serious violence against civilians by using legal mechanisms.

The council ordered the Secretary-General to include the issue of journalist security in armed conflicts in his reports.

French ambassador to the UN Jean-Mark de la Sablier, who together with the representative of Greece is a co-author of the resolution project, declared that 75 representatives of media have been killed in 2006.

According to New York based “Committee to Protect Journalists” in 2006 55 journalists have been killed when carrying out their duty (47 in 2005).  Out of these 32 were “deliberately killed” in Iraq (92 journalists have died while reporting from this country since March of 2003). 3 journalists were killed in both Afghanistan and Philippines, and 2 in Russia, Columbia, Mexico and Pakistan.

According to the “World Organization of Newspaper Editors” 105 journalists have died because of violence in 2006. This year has a record number of journalist murders - two years ago 72 journalists were killed. 

The chairman of Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Kote Gabashvili fully agrees with the resolution.
“Journalists must have maximum protection in conflict areas; they must have the same status as the representatives of “Red Cross”, Gabashvili said.

Gori-based correspondent of radio “Liberty” Goga Aptsiauri says that working in Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone is associated with a lot of risks.
According to him journalists frequently have to walk on mined territories.

“For example, at the end of 2004 when the conflict zone was fully mined “Rustavi 2” cameraman Levan Dgebuadze got blown on a mine”, Aptsiauri said.

The journalist also remembers that in August 2004 when Georgian-Ossetian armed conflict escalated an Ossetian cameraman who went to Georgian village Eredvi was severely beaten by local population and his tapes were taken away.

Aptsiauri says that risk is increased by the fact that in order to reach Georgian villages Georgian journalists have to pass through mined territories.
Russian journalists who enter through Roki tunnel are exposed to similar risks, because they have to pass Java on their way to Tskhinvali, and in addition to being mined criminal attacks are frequent on this road.   

Goga Aptsiauri also says that Georgian journalists are not allowed to enter Tskhinvali and they are not given accreditation either. “If journalists manage to enter Tskhinvali without accreditation they are immediately arrested and detained by local security and then deported after explanatory reports”, Aftsiauri said.

        Source: Media.ge