SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 22 – The UN
Department of Safety and Security had been headed by
Canadian Gilles Michaud for seven years.
Inner City Press' experience with
him and his Department has included being blocked from
entry to the UN, even with a written invitation from
member states - and Michaud failing to respond to the
appeal Inner City Press was directed to send to him by
then UN PGA spokesperson Paulina Kubiak.
On April 22 Michaud gave a
farewell "fireside chat" at IPI with Zeid Ra’ad Al
Hussein, formerly the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights. After some discussion of why the UN is finding
itself less respected in the field, the time for questions
came.
The first question about
about DSS at UNHQ. When there was no follow up, Inner City
Press asked Michaud to confirm that his Department
maintains of list of people banned from entering the UN -
and asked Zeid, as moderator and host, if such a list is
consistent with due process and principles of press
freedom.
Michaud confirmed the banned
list - then added cryptically that the grounds for being
put on it go beyond security, to requests from unspecified
other parts of the UN.
Inner City Press asked,
Are you aware who put me on, and why did you not respond
to the written appeal I sent you at the direction of UN
PGA Spokesperson Kubiak?
Michaud said, No, I am not
aware.
UN in a Nutshell: Head of UN Security Michaud is asked by Inner City Press why it is on UN "permanently banned" list. He said it's not based on security, but some "other Department." That is DGC of @MelissaFleming, censor for @AntonioGuterres. Michaud gets appeal pic.twitter.com/UWv4vNumEV
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) April 23, 2026
Nothing else. Nothing from
Zaid Ra'ad Al Hussein, who went on to describe those who
are not "real" UN, and Perm Reps who are just mouthpieces,
and the need to stand up in the UN. Stand up for
press freedom? We'll see -- every day is a new day - we'll
have more on all this.
