“Death of four journalists in El Salvador”, “Six journalists reported missing”, “Release of three journalists detained on spying charges”—these are just some of the headlines of recent dispatches calling to mind the problem which we will be dealing with in this article: journalists who do their job in situations of armed conflict run risks. What provisions does public international law make to protect them and to facilitate the exercise of their professional activity?

As head of the ICRC Information Departement in Geneva, I have the dual task of directing all activities relating to the dissemination of knowledge of international humanitarian law, and of promoting the relations of the ICRC with representatives of the mass media. I shall be commenting briefly in the following pages from this dual point of view, although I wish to make it clear from the start that I am neither a jurist nor a journalist.

Article 98, paragraph 1 of Protocol I, provides that:

“Not later than four years after the entry into force of this Protocol and thereafter at intervals of not less than four years, the International Committee of the Red Cross shall consult the High Contracting Parties concerning Annex I to this Protocol and, if it considers it necessary, may propose a meeting of technical experts to review Annex I and to propose such amendments to it as may appear to be desirable. Unless, within six months of the communication of a proposal for such a meeting to the High Contracting Parties, one third of them object, the International Committee of the Red Cross shall convene the meeting, inviting also observers of appropriate international organizations. Such a meeting shall also be convened by the International Committee of the Red Cross at any time at the request of one third of the High Contracting Parties.”

At its meeting on 20 January 1983, the ICRC Assembly elected a new member, Professor Hans Haug, who will assume his new function on 1 March 1983.

The Vice-President of the United States of America, Mr. George Bush, visited on 4 February the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. Welcomed by the ICRC President, Mr. Alexandre Hay, Mr. Bush and his entourage had a private meeting with President Hay and senior ICRC staff, in which they discussed a number of humanitarian issues.

On 25 November 1982, the Republic of Cuba deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to the Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), which was adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in a note dated 5 February 1983, received by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs on 7 February 1983, withdraws, by declaration dated 25 January 1983, for the Kingdom in Europe and for the Netherlands Antilles, its reservation concerning Article 68, paragraph 2, of the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (Fourth Convention).

A repatriation of prisoners and mortal remains took place on 16 November, via Lusaka (Zambia), under ICRC auspices. It was the result of more than a year of negotiations conducted by the ICRC with the seven interested parties: South Africa, Angola, USSR, Cuba, United States, UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) and Zambia, the country chosen for the operation to take place.