A/HRC/20/22 76. Many national legal systems provide for some form of interim measures or restraining orders. In some cases it may be appropriate for journalists who feel threatened to apply for such interim measures. The fact that these orders are legally binding could have a restraining effect, and it also serves to raise public awareness of the plight of the person concerned. 77. Also, national human rights institutions (NHRIs) are well placed to pursue the protection of journalists from attack, inter alia by raising awareness and taking up matters with the Government. The principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles) provide that NHRIs may be authorized to receive and act upon individual complaints, and may in appropriate cases be in a position to assist a journalist under threat, or to address impunity. Public protectors or ombudspersons in some cases have the same function. 4. Additional mechanisms and methods 78. There are also avenues outside the realm of the legal and intergovernmental structures outlined above, and ways of engaging with them, that can serve to protect journalists. 79. As the overview above demonstrates, there are no obvious gaps in the international framework for the protection of journalists. The main problem lies with the implementation of these norms and the creation of appropriate structures at the national level. Failure of implementation can be attributed partially to ignorance, but also to a lack of political will, requiring awareness-raising on the problem and the applicable norms. The general principle is that the issue must be elevated from the local level to a higher level. 80. It is therefore important to ensure that governmental and civil society structures keep the issue on their agendas, and to focus attention on specific incidences of killings, to emphasize the human aspect of the problem. 81. There are a number of international NGOs worldwide that focus on the issue of protecting journalists and elevate it to a level where it attracts international attention. These include, inter alia, CPJ, IFJ, INSI, RWB and the Press Emblem Campaign 71. Others have a broader focus, such as freedom of expression in general, but also include the safety of journalists in their work, for example Article 19.72 Similar work is done by local organizations, such as, for example in the Russian Federation, the Russian Union of Journalists,73 the Glasnost Defence Foundation74 and the Centre for Journalism in Extreme Situations.75 (a) Safety codes 82. A wide array of safety codes have been developed, which enable journalists to protect themselves. This includes the INSI safety code of 200776 and the RWB Charter for the Safety of Journalists Working in War Zones or Dangerous Areas of 2002.77 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 16 See www.pressemblem.ch. See www.article19.org. See www.ruj.ru (Russian only). See www.gdf.ru (Russian only). See http://cjes.org/about/?lang=eng. See www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=20450&cat=press-room-news-release. See www.rsf.org/IMG/doc-1288.pdf.