A/HRC/4/27 page 17 enterprises, national and international authorities and professional organizations; establishment of a voluntary fund to compensate the families of media professionals killed in the line of duty. 63. With regard to this last proposal, the Special Rapporteur believes that the establishment of a relief fund to the benefit of relatives of those media professionals killed while on duty and because of their professional activities, beyond its inner value of international solidarity, would also help in making safety of journalists a central human rights issue under the United Nations patronage.11 Governments, intergovernmental and regional organizations and institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations and individuals, may cooperate for the establishment of a relief fund to the benefit of relatives of those media professionals killed on duty and because of their professional activities. As a gesture of solidarity, this kind of support would mainly go to families without significant financial resources living in developing countries, in order to alleviate the lack of income due to the death of the relative. Rules and methods of work of such a fund could be drawn up by similar bodies already established within the United Nations system, making sure that the board of trustees will include personalities of high morality, impartiality and expertise of the phenomenon. III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Conclusions 64. The oppression of the most active sources of expression and opinion - journalists, trade unionists, social workers, students and teachers, writers and artists - often follows an identical approach in different countries around the world. The range of violations includes killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrest and detention, mistreatments, threats and harassment, unfair trial, and various types of judicial and administrative measures. Women and minority groups exercising their right to freedom of expression may undergo additional pressure from authorities. Patterns of violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression seem to remain essentially unchanged, though the Special Rapporteur has noted a significant increase of violations against Internet users. The media community appears to be increasingly preoccupied about media professionals’ safety and protection, worsened, in terms of casualties, due to the Iraqi conflict. 65. The Special Rapporteur is dismayed at the never-ending spiral of violence, including murderous attacks, against media professionals. More than ever, journalists and media workers are targeted by a multiplicity of aggressors who react to the exercise of the right to information in name of diverse, lawful and unlawful, interests. The attacks brought by armed groups, including national armies and law enforcement agencies, and economic corporations remain the most lethal for media professionals, who pay a high price for their efforts to offer exhaustive and multifaceted information to the public. 11 A number of media organizations run safety programmes and funds. In addition to those already mentioned, see also International Federation of Journalists Safety Fund, which also help with medical and legal assistance, and travel. International Pen runs a PEN Emergency Fund, which raises funds for imprisoned, or otherwise threatened, writers and journalists (www.internationalpen.org.uk).