By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video Q&A
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - SDNY/FOIA
UN GATE, Sept 19 – Each day, the current United Nations less accountable. And Inner City Press, banned now for the 1275th day by Secretary General Antonio Guterres continues to report on it, on August 16 publishing a UN internal memo about moving international staff to Kazakhstan. On August 16, 17 and 18 it in writing asking Guterres and his UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming about it - no answer. And no one they let in ask, or seeming had the memo, below.
Now on September 19, from the UN from which Guterres bans the independent Press, this: "The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden. The Secretary-General commended Sweden for its generous contribution and support to the Common Agenda. He expressed appreciation for Sweden’s sustained commitment to a renewed multilateralism and to the United Nations. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister also discussed preparations for COP26 and Stockholm+50, as well as developments in Afghanistan and other conflict situations."
Guterres abandoned UN staff in Afghanistan; Sweden abandoned free press principles while on the UNSC.
On September 18, in violation of NYC COVID law and of basic free press principles, this: "Dear colleagues, MALU has just informed us that there will be a stakeout on Monday, September 20th at 11:40 am with the Secretary-General and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Boris Johnson, following the Informal Leaders Roundtable on Climate Action. A limited number of only five (5) RESIDENT media, as well as a couple of photographers will be accommodated. RSVPs will be taken on a first come first served basis. Please send your name to contactus@unca.com no later than 4:00 PM TODAY (09/18) Thank you for your attention and cooperation. Valeria Robecco President, United Nations Correspondents Association."
Note: The UK Mission to the UN refuses Press questions, including about its failure on its failures in its former colony Southern British Cameroons (Ambazonia).
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, an independent (minded) journalist asked Dujarric about the letter, video here,
Spokesman: 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...
Those in receipt of the first, friendly letter: melissa.fleming@un.org, marialuiza.viotti@un.org, mekel@un.org, malu@un.org, and UNCA
Valeria Robecco, ANSA News Agency, Nabil Abi Saab, Al-Araby, Jianguo Ma, Xinhua News Agency, Edith Lederer, Associated, Giampaolo Pioli, Quotidiano, Linda Fasulo, Ibtisam Azem, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Newspaper, Ali Barada, France 24, Asharq Al-Awsat; Oscar Bolanos, OMB News, Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC South Africa - Alexander Hassanein, The Tokyo Shimbun, Maria Khrenova, TASS, Philippe Rater, Agence France-Presse, Kaori Yoshida, Nikkei, Betul Yuruk, Anadolu Agency at president@unca.com, valeria.robecco@gmail.com, nabisaab@gmail.com, mjg222888@gmail.com, elederer@ap.org, giampioli@aol.com, lindafasulo@gmail.com, ibtisam.azem@alaraby.co.uk, abarada@hotmail.com, ombyvozque@gmail.com, s.brycepease@gmail.com, alexander@tokyoshimbun.us, khrenova_m@tass.ru, philippe.rater@afp.com, kaori.yoshida@nex.nikkei.com, byuruk@aa.com.tr
We'll have more on all this. Watch this site.
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