A-Hrc -39-L.7 - the safety of journalists was adopted with out a vote at the 39h Hrc session

Reaffirming humanitarian and international human rights treaties (especially the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance) while recalling specific UN resolutions protecting journalists and considering the report of the OHCHR on the safety of journalists, the resolution stresses that the right to freedom of opinion and expression is a human right guaranteed to all, in accordance with article 19 of the UDHR and of the ICCPR and that it constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and one of the basic conditions for its progress and development.

With this in mind, the resolution states the crucial role of journalists and media workers in the context of elections, including to inform the public about candidates, their platforms and ongoing debates, and expresses serious concern that attacks against journalists and media workers increase during election periods.

It also further recognizes that the work of journalists often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, threats, harassment and violence, including the targeting of their family members, which often deters journalists from continuing their work or encourages self-censorship, consequently depriving society of important information.

Moreover, it expresses serious concern at attacks and violence against journalists and media workers in situations of armed conflict, and recalls in this regard that journalists and media workers engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered civilians and shall be protected as such.

Finally it urges States to ensure accountability through the conduct of impartial, prompt, thorough, independent and effective investigations into all alleged violence, threats and attacks against journalists and media workers falling within their jurisdiction, to bring perpetrators, including those who command, conspire to commit, aid and abet or cover up such crimes to justice, and to ensure that victims and their families have access to appropriate remedies; It also urges the immediate and unconditional release of journalists and media workers who have been arbitrarily arrested or arbitrarily detained, taken hostage or who have become victims of enforced dis A-hrc- 39-L.8 - local government and human rights was adopted with out a vote at the 39th Hrc session.

Recalling the UDHR and relevant international human rights instruments (in particular the ICCPR and the ICESCR) and related UN resolutions, the resolution bears in mind also that human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birthright of all human beings, and that their protection and promotion is the first responsibility of Governments.

As such it requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report, in consultation with all States and relevant intergovernmental organizations, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, relevant special procedures of the Human Rights Council, the Advisory Committee, treaty bodies, national human rights institutions, civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and local governments, on effective methods to foster cooperation between local government and local stakeholders for the effective promotion and protection of human rights at their level through local government programmes, including raising awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to indicate the major challenges and best practices in this regard, and to submit the report to the Council prior to its forty-second session.

As such Icsft denounces the unilateral measures against sovereign states under the pretext of human rights that violate the principle of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Governments have primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights in their country, any intervention should be informed by the country's invitation and based on multilateral cooperation. Hence we support the adoption and implementation of this resolution.

SEE THE ATTACH FILE RESOLUTIONS

⇓

A_HRC_39_L7