A new journalist association founded in Geneva

Jennifer Henrichsen/HRT

More than ten press syndicates agreed September 9 in Geneva to establish a non-government organization focused on providing legal protection for journalists in conflict areas.

The new organization, the International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ), will work in collaboration with the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign, and members from Africa and Asia.

“The organization will advocate for the protection of journalists with a legal instrument,” said Omar Faruk Osman, secretary-general for the National Union of Somali Journalists, and a founding member of the ICPJ.

The ICPJ wants specific protection for journalists in the form of a separate convention. This convention would operate as a legal mechanism in line with the existing international texts. The ICPJ and the Press Emblem Campaign will "work in parallel lines and complement each other," said PEC president Hedayat Abdelnabi. The vocation of the ICPJ and the Press Emblem campaign are very similar. The exact duties of the ICPJ are still being developed.

Funds from member subscriptions would enable a network of lawyers to represent journalists in conflict zones, and provide assistance to the families of abducted or killed journalists, said Osman.

The ICPJ plans to lobby the Human Rights Council, currently in session, to establish a working group for the protection of journalists.

“We will lobby governments and organizations to get ratification of the convention,” said Osman. “We are journalists, families that are working together,” he said.

Press syndicates from Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan, Palestine, Tunisia, Iran, Mauritania, Somalia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have declared membership.

The ICPJ founding committee includes:

President: Mohamed Yousef, President of the Emirati Journalists Association (UAE) Syndicate of Journalists

Vice-president for Asia: Moaid Allamy, Secretary-General of the Iraqi Syndicate of Journalists

Vice-president for Africa: Hachimi Nouira, of the Tunisian Society of Journalists

Coordinator: Hedayat Abdelanabi, President of the Press Emblem Campaign