Journalists carrying out their professional duties in areas of armed conflict are exposed to many dangers. Their protection is governed by two distinct but complementary legal frameworks: the international law of armed conflict and international human rights law. Under the international law of armed conflict, journalists are protected as civilians but do not enjoy any special status. International human rights law, however, protects not only the natural persons of journalists, through the right to life and the prohibition of torture, but also
their freedom of expression as an essential element of their profession. However, the protection afforded by both frameworks is not absolute: under the international law of armed conflict, journalists may lose protection if they participate directly in hostilities, while under international human rights law, freedom of expression may be lawfully restricted under certain conditions. Both areas of international law also offer protection to media buildings and equipment. Despite international legal protection, attacks against journalists are on the rise and are accompanied by a high level of impunity, which points to important shortcomings in the existing system of protection. This has prompted international organisations, in particular
various United Nations bodies and some non-profit organizations, to work to improve protection mechanisms for journalists working in conflict zones.
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