Title: The protection of journalists reporting from war or conflict zones: attempts to promote additional protection measures for journalists by means of international protocol and convention

Authors: Anton C. Welgemoed

Addresses: Department of Criminal and Procedural Law, University of South Africa, South Africa

Abstract: A journalist|s function is not only to inform but also to investigate. The public|s right to information necessitates protection for journalists that report from dangerous war-torn regions in order to keep the world informed, but the question is: do they need special protection? Some argue that journalists should be protected in terms of humanitarian law due to their humanitarian function, their service of facilitating the free flow of information to the world and their role in society. Others argue that their protection is not the responsibility of the international community but rather their individual national governments or local news organisations.

Keywords: journalist protection; war on terror; international conventions; conflict zones; war correspondents; war reporting; newsgathering; war zones; journalists; international protocols.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSE.2008.017698

International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry, 2008 Vol.1 No.3, pp.282 - 292

Published online: 27 Mar 2008 *

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