EBB/45/15

26 February 2016

Due Process and Press Freedom at Headquarters

The 45th Staff Council of the United Nations Staff Union expresses its solidarity with Mr. Matthew R.

Lee, a long-time journalist of Inner City Press who was summarily stripped of his credential and physically

thrown out of United Nations premises by security personnel, reportedly on the instructions of the Under-

Secretary-General of the Department of Public Information.

It is shocking and dismaying that at the United Nations, as a beacon of all freedoms enshrined in its

Charter, the Administration would blatantly eject a member of the press corps assigned to report on events at the

Organization, in an attempt to muzzle and intimidate. Such actions, reminiscent of tendencies seen, sadly, in too

many parts of the world, have no place at the United Nations. They are inconsistent with the purposes and

principles of the United Nations, which include safeguarding the rights of all peoples and ensuring due process,

transparency, accountability and the freedom of the press.

It is inconceivable that the United Nations Administration would seek to silence a member of the press

and limit his or her access and ability to report on events at the world Organization, and all the more so given the

lack of due process and the manner in which Mr. Lee was treated, simply because Administration officials feel

they can do so without any consequences. The actions by the Administration demean all of us, and they demean

and undermine the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Any potential disagreement,

misunderstanding or other matter surely can be resolved here of all places.

It should be recalled that this is not the first time that Administration officials have exhibited less than

democratic tendencies. Since the December 2013 elections for the staff representatives to the 45th Staff Council,

the Secretary-General has to this day refused to grant facilities and time release to the elected staff

representatives on the pretext of an undisclosed dispute and, perhaps more disturbing, because he feels that he can. For the Administration to arbitrarily act as if staff elections had not happened is deeply troubling and

reflects what seems to be a growing trend at the Organization.

The 45th Staff Council stands for the freedom of the press and the right to due process. Among other

crucial principles, these are fundamental to the functioning of a free society and to the achievement of the free,

fair and equitable world all of us are working for Staff, Administration and Member States.

The Staff Council calls for the immediate return of Mr. Lees Resident Correspondent credential and for the Department of Public Information to restore him to full possession of his office space, which he uses to

report, immediately and, in any event, not enter his office or touch any files in the interim, as well as to lift any

restrictions imposed on the performance of his duties and the conditions of his accreditation. The Staff Council

stands united with Mr. Lee and the entire United Nations press corps, and respectfully calls on the Secretary-

General to ensure that such a situation does not recur at the United Nations.

***