By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video Q&A
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
UN GATE, August 14 – Since August 3, Inner City Press has each week end asked UN Spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming about the UN's planned "honor system" UN General Assembly week, without vaccination required. Then it also asked, Where *is* Guterres? No answer.
On August 13 Guterres returned from an undisclosed vacation - in a Level 4 / Do Not Travel country? - and issued an internal memo which banned Inner City Press exclusively publishes below.
Now from the diplomatic beat on August 14, this "statement was released by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, and Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau. Begin text: We welcome the announcement that Venezuelan-led, comprehensive negotiations will soon begin in Mexico City, Mexico. We hope this process will lead to the restoration of the country’s democratic institutions and allow for all Venezuelans to express themselves politically through free and fair local, parliamentary, and presidential elections.. We reiterate our willingness to review sanctions policies if the regime makes meaningful progress in the announced talks."
This while Guterres grabbed a second term by blocking circulation of the CVs of seven opponents, raiding the house of one and banning from the UN another, the Press.
Guterres' August 13 spin: "Dear New York-based Colleagues, planning has commenced for the high-level period of the 76th Session of the General Assembly, which will take place at UNHQ from 14 September to 1 October 2021... Proof of vaccination to use dining facilities. In order to align UNHQ’s approach to indoor dining with that of NYC’s guidance, we will soon require proof of vaccination for seated meals at cafeterias and other dining facilities on premises. Further guidance on full return to work is being developed and will be issued in September. Vaccination requirement for certain categories... vaccinations will be mandated for staff performing certain tasks and/or certain occupational groups at UNHQ whose functions do not allow sufficient management of exposure. This mandate may be waived where a recognized medical condition prevents vaccination. Those staff who will be required to be vaccinated must receive the final dose of a vaccine no later than 19 September 2021... Yours sincerely, António Guterres"
So what are the tasks? And why if the UN holding an "honor system" no vax UNGA, and banning Press?
The UN has neither responded to or offered any explanation when a lawyer's letter - to UN official Fleming, and Tal Mekel, and to each UNCA Executive Committee member - urged them to have a dialogue about ending the UN's banning and censorship of Inner City Press.
On August 9, journalist Benny Avni asked Dujarric about the letter, video here, transcript:
Question: My second question is the law firm ‑‑ what is it called? ‑‑ Quinn Emanuel wrote a letter to the UN asking about reinstatement of our colleague Matthew Lee into the UN press corps. Do you have any comment on that?
Spokesman: No. All I can tell you is that we've received the letter, and I'm not aware of any change to his status.
Question: You're not aware? I mean, aren't you part of the group that decides the fate of... or even the negotiations... The letter calls for renegotiation [Cross talk]
Spokesman: I decide the fate of no one. [Laughter] Trust me, trust me, my authority is extremely limited, whether at home or at work. What I can tell you and, joking aside, is that the letter has indeed been received, and I'm not aware of any... and there has been no change in Mr. Lee's status.
Question: Has the letter been answered? Do you plan to answer it?
Spokesman: It's been received. Whether or not it's been answered, I don't know yet.
The letter was received by the UN's Melissa Fleming, Maria Luiza Vioti and Tal Mekel and to each UNCA Executive Board member, to them citing UNCA's stated goals that it has a charter to supposedly uphold.
What's next? Since the letter, Inner City Press has published exclusive stories not only from the U.S. court systems but about the United Nations, including its agencies UNOPS, UNFPA, UNITAR and UNESCO. (Also credited in AP, Daily Mail, and Nigeria's Sahara Reporters, amid answers from the IMF.)
But none of its written questions have been answered by the UN Spokespeople, and it remains banned from entry to the UN's briefings. This must end.
Having asked for a colleagial discussion, and while still offering it, things must turn to the law. UNCA is a New York State non-profit which has not only not abided by its stated goals - it has tortiously interfered with a journalist's right to cover the United Nations. The United Nations itself propounds Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and has other legal duties that must be addressed by national courts, particularly in the UN's host country...