Open letter to participants at International Conference on Iraq urges respect for press freedom and protection of journalists

Reporters Without Borders has called on participants at the International Conference on Iraq in Brussels on 22 June 2005, attended by more than 80 countries, to ensure discussion of press freedom and protection of journalists. The open letter is addressed to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, President of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "It is essential that this conference raises the question of press freedom in Iraq, a country under reconstruction where the Constitution and the press code have yet to be written," said Reporters Without Borders. "Since Iraq is a signatory of the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights, it must insert in its future Constitution the principles of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration Human Rights of the right to freedom of opinion and expression for every individual." "We fervently hope that the future press code will respect UN recommendations and will not provide for prison sentence for press offences. The principle of the protection of sources should also be guaranteed by law," Reporters Without Borders added. The organisation also said mounting arrests of local journalists often without proof or for unknown reasons was a worrying occurrence in Iraq. "Once again we urge the Iraqi authorities and the US Army to show transparency, judgement and moderation so as not to make hasty and unfair arrests. To our knowledge at least five journalists are being held in Iraqi or American detention centres." ""The insecurity of the conditions in which journalists have to work is extremely alarming. That is whey we are asking the Iraqi authorities, with the help of the United States, to agree to do their utmost to provide maximum protection for journalists. We remind you that 58 journalists have been killed covering the conflict since March 2003, making it the deadliest for the profession since the Vietnam war. The conference is being held at the request of the Iraqi government and is jointly organised by the European Union and the United States. The three points for discussion under UN Security Council Resolution 1546 are the political process, economic challenges and reconstruction and public order and the rule of law.