With the support of Argentina, Austria, Costa Rica and Tunisia, Greece undertook the initiative to draw up and submit a draft Resolution on the “safety of journalists and the issue of impunity” to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, which is responsible for human rights issues.
This initiative is of particular importance in light of the disturbingly large number of attacks that are carried out on news media representatives around the world. These attacks render it imperative that the international community take immediate action for the safety of journalists in and beyond armed conflicts. The problem is noted in the latest report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, which states that impunity is the principal reason for the continuation of crimes against journalists.
The draft Resolution submitted by Greece is based on the UN Action Plan for the safety of journalists and the matter of impunity, which was approved on 13 April 2012, and calls on the UN Secretary General to present a report on the implementation of the Resolution to the next General Assembly (2014).
Within the framework of the effort to raise the international community’s awareness of the issue of impunity, the draft Resolution asks that 1 November be designated by the UN as World Day for combatting impunity in crimes against journalists.
November 5, 2013