The Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) accused the UN of violating human rights because of its continued refusal to accredit Taiwanese journalists or anyone working for Taiwanese media outlets.
For the past four years, journalists carrying Taiwanese passports or working for Taiwanese media outlets have been barred from covering the annual World Health Assembly (WHA).
The refusal to accredit Taiwanese journalists has been attirbuted to the fact that Taiwan is not a member of the UN.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the IPI said the decision to bar Taiwanese journalists from being accredited to attend any events related to the UN or its subsidiaries, such as the WHO, is a 昼erious violation of press freedom and the principle of universality of human rights.?br />
The IPI is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries. Other international journalist organizations, such as the International Federation of Journalists, have also been vocal about the UN旧 unfair treatment towards Taiwanese journalists.
ARTICLE 19
戦PI regards this decision as a serious violation of press freedom and the principle of universality of human rights,?said the press release, citing Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights which grants everyone the right to 昼eek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.?br />
背n addition, the IPI quoted Article 2 of the Declaration, which provides that all rights set forth therein apply to everyone and that 嘆o distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.?br />
NO JUSTIFICATION
声ccordingly, it remains difficult to understand the justification for the UN旧 discrimination against certain journalists based on the political status of the country to which they belong,?the statement said.
声dministrative obstacles to press freedom and access to information are serious human rights violations,?IPI Director David Dadge said.
巣e urge the UN to revise such policies so they properly reflect the fundamental UN principles of equality and respect for press freedom. If this is not done, there is a very real danger to members of the Taiwanese public, who rely on the media for information about public health matters,?he said.
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