A/HRC/15/54 insurance scheme. The panellist called on the Council to develop guidelines for the protection of journalists, which would lead to a global compact, either through the creation of a working group of the Advisory Committee of the Council, or by setting up an ad hoc intergovernmental working group. III. A. Summary of discussion Dangers and risks faced by journalists in armed conflict 12. Several delegations expressed concern that journalists were deliberately targeted in areas of ongoing armed conflict as a result of their role in exposing human rights abuses and atrocities, corruption or unpopular opinions or situations. It was noted that such attacks constituted a violation not only of the journalists’ right to freedom of expression, but also of the public’s right to receive information or the truth, which is an essential component of any democratic society. It was further emphasized that common dangers and risks faced by journalists in armed conflict included killings, abductions, hostage-taking, arbitrary arrests and detention, enforced or involuntary disappearances and acts of harassment and intimidation. One speaker also noted that, due to the work that they did, journalists were often suspected as spies during armed conflict, and either eliminated or used deliberately as “bargaining chips”. 13. In their statements, several delegations and speakers noted that such dangers and risks faced by journalists were exacerbated by the complexity of current armed conflicts, as they were no longer limited to two regular armies fighting each other, and multiple nonState actors were involved, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish civilians from non-civilians in such asymmetric conflicts. Additionally, new weapons and methods of warfare were used, and the frontline of conflicts was often ill-defined and changed frequently. 14. It was further noted by several delegations that journalists were often targeted even in situations where there was no armed conflict, for example where organized crime was prevalent. In addition, a view was also expressed that journalists must also be protected by the occupying forces in situations of occupation. 15. Many delegations also expressed concern that only rarely were attacks against journalists investigated and persons responsible brought to account, thus perpetrating an environment of impunity. In that regard, it was noted that in the past 12 years more than 1,100 journalists and media staff had been killed in the course of duty, yet almost none of those cases had been investigated or prosecuted, even in cases of targeted killings. B. International norms and standards applicable to journalists in armed conflict and their implementation 16. Many delegations referred to the provisions in international humanitarian law which guarantee the protection of journalists either as embedded journalists or as civilians. In the case of the former, many delegations highlighted that as stipulated in article 4, section A, paragraph 4, of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (Third Geneva Convention of 1949), embedded journalists or war correspondents are entitled to prisoner of war status when they fall into the power of the enemy. In the case of nonembedded journalists, it was noted that, as stipulated in article 79 of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict must be considered as civilians and enjoy the 5