LEBANESE REPUBLIC Ministry of Information St r en g th e n i n g r e g i o n al c oope rat ion t o en d impunity f o r crimes a n d attacks aga in st journalists in th e A rab w orld AGENDA 2 November 2018 Hot el Coral Beach 9 :00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Cover photo credit:©Alfred Yaghobzadeh credit:©Alfred photo Cover Beirut, Lebanon PROGRAMME OVERVIEW 09:00 – 09:30 OPENING STATEMENTS Welcome remarks: Mr. Hamed Al Hammami, Director of UNESCO Beirut Office Introductory remarks: Mr. Moez Chakchouk, Assistant Director-General of the Communication and Information Sector at UNESCO Keynote speech: Hon Saad Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon 09:30 – 11:00 Session 1 Journalists, from witnesses to victims in times of conflict 11:00 – 11:30 COFFEE BREAK 11:30 – 13:00 Session 2 Fighting impunity in Lebanon: review of challenges and achievements 13:00 – 14:30 LUNCH 14:30 – 16:00 Session 3 Enabling justice in conflict zones, now and tomorrow 16:00 – 16:30 COFFEE BREAK 16:30 – 17:30 Session 4 The way forward, including prevention, raising awareness and reinforcing capacities 17:45 – 18:30 Recap and Closing remarks Mr. Hamed Al Hammami, Director of UNESCO Beirut Office 18:30 – 20:00 RECEPTION Location: Salle des Ambassadeurs B Session 1 Journalists, from witnesses to victims in times of conflict 09:30 – 11:00 This session will provide an overview of Moderator: the situation in the Arab world regarding Rabih El Chaer, Head, Public crimes and attacks against journalists International Law Group, Alem & as well as the issue of impunity. It will Associates highlight the function of journalists in conflict areas and in societies in general, Introductory remarks: and strive to understand what journalist Ms. Albana Shala, Chairperson, killings represent and the consequences UNESCO’s International Programme it entails. The session will seek to for the Development of Communication panel (IPDC) highlight the role of journalists, who are tasked with the special duty to inform the population and international opinion Speakers: on the changes in the Arab region, and Mr. Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali, Executive Director, Arab Network for also examine how this role often makes National Human Rights Institutions them a target. The session will also (ANNHRI) analyze the various threats faced by journalists working in the region today as Ms. Abeer Saady, Vice President, The compared to the threats faced by them in International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT)/ the past, the changes in safety created Dortmund University, author of Safety by the development of social media, the Handbook for Women Journalists ways to mitigate risks on the field and the possible measures to tackle and Mr. Kamel Labidi, Independent Tunisian journalist & President of end impunity for attacks and killings of Vigilance for Democracy and the Civic journalists in the Arab region. State NGO Ms. Hala Kodmani, French-Syrian journalist, Libération, author of a book on the journalist Ruqia Hassan Mohammed Mr. Maad Al-Zekri, Independent investigative video journalist Session 2 Fighting impunity in Lebanon: review of challenges and achievements 11:30 – 13:00 This session will provide an overview Moderator: of the challenges and achievements Ms. Gisele Khoury, Journalist, in fighting impunity in Lebanon. It will President, Samir Kassir Foundation be co-organized with the Lebanese authorities, ideally including the National Speakers: Human Rights Institute, the Ministry of Judge Maroun Zakhour, Ministry of Interior and Police forces, the Ministry of Justice Justice [tbc], civil society and the media. It will seek to answer questions such as: Colonel Joseph Mousallem, Ministry What is the status of investigations on of Interior-Internal Security Forces the killings of journalists? What could be the role of CSO and media to advocate Ms. May Chidiac, Journalist, President, May Chidiac Foundation for the judicial resolution of these killings? The advantages and challenges Mr. Ghassan Mekheiber, Lawyer and of national protection and monitoring Former Member of Parliament mechanisms, which are in place or could be established to fight impunity, will be Mr. Ali Youssef, Lebanese Journalists’ Union presented and discussed. This will be followed by a presentation on ongoing Mr. George Ghali, Executive Director, and unsolved investigations into the Lebanese Association for Education killings of journalists by a spokesperson and Training (ALEF) from the Ministry of Interior of Lebanon. Session 3 Enabling justice in conflict zones, now and tomorrow 14:30 – 16:00 This third session will look at the means Moderator: to deliver justice for killed journalists, both Ms. Leila Molanaallen, Journalist, now and in the future. This will include France Media Monde regional cases of attacks against journalists correspondent in conflict zones for which there is limited possibility of immediate legal Speakers: action. Measures to address this issue Major General Saad Maan, include documenting and remembering Spokesperson, Iraqi Ministry of the violations, the role of judicial systems, Interior, Member of the Committee for NGOs and fostering the engagement of Ending Impunity against Journalists in National Human Rights Commissions. Iraq Lama Fakih, Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch MENA division, Director of the Beirut Office Mr. Mazen Shaqoura, Deputy Director Regional Office, OHCHR Beirut Ms. Razan Namari, Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) Mr. Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Session 4 The way forward: prevention, raising awareness and reinforcing capacities 16:30 – 17:30 This last session will seek to identify a Moderator: way forward to strengthen the capacities Ms. Diana Moukalled, Journalist, of judicial members, law enforcement writer officers and human rights defenders and to raise awareness on the importance of Speakers: reinforcing or establishing mechanisms Ms. Sylvie Coudray, Chief of Section, to protect journalists and fight impunity. Freedom of Expression, UNESCO Discussions will include reinforcing the implementation of the UN Plan of Mr. Khalid Khlaifat, Lawyer, Manager Action on the Safety of Journalists at all of the Rights Group for Law and levels and with different stakeholders. Studies, Jordan The project of training members of the Mr. Toby Mendel, Executive Director, judiciary on international standards on Centre for Law and Democracy freedom of expression and safety of journalists through a MOOC will be also Mr. Nasser Abubaker, President, presented. Furthermore, the various Palestinian Journalists Syndicate options to raise awareness through Mr. Zied Dabbar, Head of the media and social media campaign and monitoring unit on protection of partnerships will be discussed. Regional journalists, Tunisian Journalists Union multi-stakeholder forum for discussions (SNJT) and exchange of ideas and advocacy could also be promoted in order to Mr. Khalid Ibrahim, Executive address the issue of impunity at the Director, Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) regional level. Mr. Hadi al-Khatib, Founder and Director, The Syrian Archive UNESCO FIGURES ON JOURNALISTS' SAFETY AND IMPUNITY Figure 5: Number of killed women journalists worldwide 2006-2017 record high: 12 11 victims 10 8 6 4 2 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Figure 2: Number of journalists killed by region in 2016-2017 2016 Arab states 32 2017 27 Asia and the Pacic Latin America 28 and the Caribbean Latin America 22 and the Caribbean 27 Asia and the Pacic 18 Arab states 7 Africa 6 Africa Western Europe Western Europe 6 and North America 5 and North America 2 Central and Eastern Europe 2 Central and Eastern Europe Total: 102 Total: 80 ALL FIGURES AVAILABLE AT: en.unesco.org/themes/safety-journalists/dgreport WITH THE SUPPORT OF: Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists Protect journalists and Freedom of Expression, visit: en.unesco.org/foe/special-account #ENDIMPUNITY #journosafe #TruthNeverdies VISIT: en.unesco.org/commemorations/endimpunity.