UN human rights chief: Trump's attacks on press 'close to incitement of violence'

[DonViejo]

Source: The Guardian


Exclusive: Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, who steps down this month, says US president’s rhetoric echoes that of the worst eras of the 20th century

Julian Borger in New York

Mon 13 Aug 2018 01.00 EDT Last modified on Mon 13 Aug 2018 08.01 EDT

Donald Trump’s anti-press rhetoric is “very close to incitement to violence” that would lead to journalists censoring themselves or being attacked, the outgoing UN human rights commissioner has said.

Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince and diplomat, is stepping down this month as UN high commissioner for human rights after deciding not to stand for a second four-year term, in the face of a waning commitment among world powers to fighting abuses.

Zeid said the Trump administration’s lack of concern about human rights marked a distinct break with previous administrations, and that Trump’s own rhetoric aimed at minorities and at the press was redolent of two of the worst eras of the 20th century, the run-up to the two world wars. In an interview with the Guardian, he singled out the US president’s repeated designation of the press as “the enemy of the people”.

“We began to see a campaign against the media … that could have potentially, and still can, set in motion a chain of events which could quite easily lead to harm being inflicted on journalists just going about their work and potentially some self-censorship,” Zeid said. “And in that context, it’s getting very close to incitement to violence.”



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/13/united-nations-human-rights-nearly-impossible-to-defend-zeid-raad-al-hussein

[empedocles]

1. traitortrump's attacks on press close to incitement to violence

traitortrump's attacks on fair election close to incitement to treason

The UN cannot protect a free press, however, at least UN has capability and experience in safeguarding elections - that would be useful in November for the US. [Would it be good if Democrats pushed for UN fair election help?]

[TomVilmer]

2. It is all to easy to shoot that messenger down

Jordan ranked 132th out of 180 countries in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, advancing six positions compared to its ranking in 2017. In its report on the country's press environment, the media watchdog noted that Jordan’s media "take care to observe the red lines set by the authorities". Journalists are subject to close surveillance by the intelligence services, the report added, and must be affiliated to the state-controlled Jordanian Press Association.
http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/jordan-climbs-6-spots-world-press-freedom-index

The United States’ ranking fell from 43 to 45 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2018 World Press Freedom Index, continuing its downward trend in the first year of Donald J. Trump’s presidency.
https://rsf.org/en/rsf-index-2018-us-falls-canada-rises

The United States has dropped 29 spots in the annual Reporters Without Borders press freedom ranking since 2009, when President Barack Obama took office. The U.S. ranked 49th this year out of 180 countries included in the organization's World Press Freedom Index. The decline from its position at No. 20 in 2009 has been spurred by the Obama administration's aggressive prosecution of whistleblowers.
https://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/13/politics/u-s-press-freedom-ranking-obama-administration-leaks/index.html

[Bayard]

3. "We consider that the Obama administration has launched a war against whistleblowers,"

"The U.S. has prosecuted eight alleged whistleblowers under the Espionage Act, more than all previous presidential administrations combined, Halgand said." Whisteblowers does not equal journalists. I would like to see what they were prosecuted for under the elements of this law.

El Salvador, Botswana, Belize and Suriname were given high marks? I thought these were somewhat repressive governments?

[TomVilmer]

4. ... a label for insiders leaking to journalists

"Whisteblowers does not equal journalists". Since this is a label for insiders leaking to the public normally through journalists, it was and is very relevant. The cases included well known names as Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden. A list of the eight is mentioned here:
https://mic.com/articles/50459/8-whistleblowers-charged-with-violating-the-espionage-act-under-obama

And here:
During the Obama administration, eight people were charged or convicted of leaking national security secrets under the Espionage Act — more such cases than under all previous administrations combined. Now the Trump administration is pursuing its own case. Reality Winner, a 25-year-old government contractor, is accused of divulging an NSA document that details Russian meddling in the U.S. election.
https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/06/28/534682231/once-reserved-for-spies-espionage-act-now-used-against-suspected-leakers

This is part of the U.S. history. Governments do what governments do...

[Cold War Spook]

5. My records were flagged for 50 years until 2017

I asked to have them to keep them flagged until I die. They let you do this if there is a real reason.

[ck4829]

6. K&R