UN Human Rights Commission: Reporters Without Borders Status

Question:  Any truth to the allegation that there is a movement to take away Reporters Without Borders Status on the Commission? Does the U.S. have any comment?

Answer:   The NGO Accreditation Committee of the United Nations received a complaint from Cuba against the organization, Reporters Without Borders, for its conduct during the 2003 Commission on Human Rights session. Cuba complained that while the Libyan chair was making its opening remarks, persons accredited by Reporters Without Borders disrupted the session by dropping leaflets containing criticism of Libya.

Normal practice is for the Committee to request a full report of an alleged incident from the accused NGO before taking action. Cuba, however, insisted that the Committee recommend immediate suspension of this organization’s consultative status. When the issue was brought to a vote, the United States voted against it but Cuba’s recommendation carried.

The Committee’s recommendation will be sent to the UN Economic and Social Council, which will make a decision on Reporters Without Borders’s consultative status at its annual session in July. The United States will urge the Council to return the matter to the NGO Committee and request a full report from the accused NGO before taking any action against it.