Author(s) Rui André Lima Gonçalves da Silva Garrido
Advisor(s) Maria de Assunção do Vale Pereira
Year 2014

Synopsis The protection of journalists engaged in dangerous missions of armed conflict has not been studied with the attention it deserves. A closer look at the international media shows a very precarious situation in which these professionals work in these big risk contexts. This research focuses its attention on the figure of the journalists which, during a mission of armed conflict, are faced with a situation of insecurity and increasingly, also victims of reprisals and violence that is directed specifically to them. The International Humanitarian Law, which regulates the conduct of hostilities, reserve a protection to journalists who, on one hand, is generous in this respect it protects them as civilians, but otherwise it does not meet the challenges they face as media professionals, while covering an armed conflict. Journalists transitioned from mere spectators of the conflict to a situation in which they are harassed, abducted and murdered on that embody serious violations of International Humanitarian Law, but also International Human Rights Law. How does the International Humanitarian Law responds to the challenge imposed on it? How does it search for a response to the worsening situation that these professionals live in armed conflict? We will examine some proposals that have emerged from various quarters to meet this challenge, ranging from the possibility of adopting a distinctive emblem internationally recognized, to the clarification of the situation of embedded journalists through the possibility of an extension of protection throughout this work reserverd for them. We focus our attention on the case of the african continent, analyzing some contribution of the international justice on the protection of journalists.

See more here.

 

December 31st, 2014

Author(s) Rui André Lima Gonçalves da Silva Garrido
Advisor(s) Maria de Assunção do Vale Pereira
Year 2014

Synopsis The protection of journalists engaged in dangerous missions of armed conflict has not been studied with the attention it deserves. A closer look at the international media shows a very precarious situation in which these professionals work in these big risk contexts. This research focuses its attention on the figure of the journalists which, during a mission of armed conflict, are faced with a situation of insecurity and increasingly, also victims of reprisals and violence that is directed specifically to them. The International Humanitarian Law, which regulates the conduct of hostilities, reserve a protection to journalists who, on one hand, is generous in this respect it protects them as civilians, but otherwise it does not meet the challenges they face as media professionals, while covering an armed conflict. Journalists transitioned from mere spectators of the conflict to a situation in which they are harassed, abducted and murdered on that embody serious violations of International Humanitarian Law, but also International Human Rights Law. How does the International Humanitarian Law responds to the challenge imposed on it? How does it search for a response to the worsening situation that these professionals live in armed conflict? We will examine some proposals that have emerged from various quarters to meet this challenge, ranging from the possibility of adopting a distinctive emblem internationally recognized, to the clarification of the situation of embedded journalists through the possibility of an extension of protection throughout this work reserverd for them. We focus our attention on the case of the african continent, analyzing some contribution of the international justice on the protection of journalists.

See more here.

 

December 31st, 2014