NEWS FREEDOM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22618, 22 April 1948, Page 5

NEWS FREEDOM

SAFEGUARDS IMPOSED GENEVA RESOLUTION (10 a.m.) GENEVA, April 21. The United Nations’ freedom of information conference adopted an article for incorporation in the United Nations’ declaration of human rights which said: “Everyone shall have the right of freedom of thought and expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas by any means and regardless of frontiers ’’ The conference rejected the following Soviet proposal: “In the interests of democracy everyone shall be guaranteed by law of freedom to express opinions, in particular, freedom of speech and of the press and artistic representation Freedom of speech and of the press shall not be exploited to advocate Fascism, aggression or the spread of false news or with the object of provoking enmity between nations.”

The conference also adopted, against American and Soviet opposition, a declaration that information freedom must be guaranteed to everyone, but specified eight points on which restrictions may be imposed bv law. These, which originated in a British list, include military secrets, expressions inciting persons to revo’t or criminal acts, exnressions which r e obscene and injurious to persons without benefiting the public, a systematic diffusion of deliberately false or istorted reports wh.ch undermine friendly relations between peoples or States. Mr. W. Benton, United States, condemned the last point, which was included at the instigation of India, ,aying that it struck at the roots of the freedom of the press. “It gives Governments authority to sit in judgment on the correctness of news reports and to decide what constitutes friendly or unfriendly reporting.” Canada reserved the right to combat the point at the Julv meeting of the Economic and Social Council when the human rights convenant will be debated. Retention of U.N. Commission The conference decided, by 30 votes to seven, to ask the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations to prolong the life of the 12-man sub-commission on freedom of the press for three years, thus setting up a body to watch over the free flow of world news with a full-time staff of exnerts. The council will be instructed to recommend ways to promote a wider degree of freedom of information to nromote the dissemination of true information to counteract the Nazi, Fascist and “any other propaganda” of aggression, to conclude agreements between Governments on freedom of information and facilitate the work of news gatherers. Tire sub-commission will also be asked to make recommendations on a .lournalists’ code of ethics, the establishment of the court of honour to enforce the code, the organisation of an annual day of “international amity” when all newspapers will nublish news and articles on foreign affairs, the establishment of international press cards to secure technical facilities for genuine foreign correspondents, and coordination of Government measures to curb warmongers. Towards the end of three years the sub-commission is to decide whether it should be succeeded by a permanent world information council. Mr. M, K. Goubin, editor of Izvestia, expressed strong Soviet opposition, faying that the decision renresented an attempt to interfere in the domestic affairs of sovereign States. Mr. William Benton said the United States Government recommended that another world conference be held in three or fi' f e vears.