A/HRC/20/22 regarding the incident, the victims of the incident, the alleged perpetrators and the source of the allegations.34 50. In a welcome development, several special procedures in the global and regional systems have recently made joint declarations condemning the killing of journalists. 35 The special procedures of the United Nations and the African Union met in Addis Ababa in January 2012 to enhance collaboration between the global and the regional system, which could also lead to more cooperation in respect of journalists in Africa. 51. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported on attacks against journalists, for example in the context of the situations in Afghanistan and Colombia, among others.36 52. The Human Rights Committee has explicitly addressed the safety of journalists in general comment No. 34 (2011) on the freedoms of opinion and expression. In Afuson Njaru v. Cameroon, the Committee found that the State had violated article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (right to security of the person) by failing to take measures against attacks on journalists. 37 53. In recent years the Human Rights Committee, in its concluding observations, has expressed concern about intimidation, harassment and threats against journalists;38 the Committee against Torture has also expressed such concerns, including with respect to the killings of journalists.39 54. It should be noted, from the perspective of prevention, that the Human Rights Committee has the power to inform a State party that interim measures are ―desirable to avoid irreparable damage‖ in respect of a pending complaint. 40 Other treaty bodies with comparable competences in this context are the Committee against Torture, the Committee on Enforced Disappearances and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 55. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has taken a lead role in the United Nations system in respect of freedom of expression, including the safety of journalists. For example, in 1997 UNESCO adopted resolution 29 on the condemnation of violence against journalists. On a regular basis, UNESCO publicly condemns the killing of journalists41 and exercises ―quiet diplomacy‖, also in respect of 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 See www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Communications.aspx. See for example www.osce.org/fom/41439. Colombia: E/CN.4/2001/15, paras. 38 and 191-194; E/CN.4/2003/13, para. 111; E/CN.4/2004/13, paras. 97-98; E/CN.4/2005/10 and Corr.1, annex II, para. 14 and annex IV, para. 12; E/CN.4/2006/9, paras. 61 and 87 and annex III, paras. 40-43 and 54; A/HRC/4/48, paras. 11, 44-45, 109 and 124 and annex II, paras. 30-32; A/HRC/7/39, paras. 68-69 and annex, paras. 19-20 and 27. Afghanistan: A/HRC/10/23, paras. 33, 51-54; A/HRC/13/62, paras. 9, 55-59 and 69 (f). Communication No. 1353/2005, Views adopted on 19 March 2007, para. 6.3. Philippines, CCPR/CO/79/PHL, para. 8; Russian Federation, CCPR/CO/79/RUS, para. 22 and CCPR/C/RUS/CO/6 and Corr.1, para. 16; Colombia, CCPR/CO/80/COL, para. 11 and CCPR/C/COL/CO/6, para. 17; Honduras, CCPR/C/HND/CO/1, para. 17; Azerbaijan, CCPR/C/AZE/CO/3, para. 15; Mexico, CCPR/C/MEX/CO/5, para. 20; Serbia, CCPR/C/SRB/CO/2, para. 21. Cameroon, CAT/C/CMR/CO/4, para. 18; Ukraine, CAT/C/UKR/CO/5, para. 17; Philippines, CAT/C/PHL/CO/2, para. 11; Russian Federation, CAT/C/RUS/CO/4, para. 22; Guatemala, Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 44 (A/56/44), para. 72. Rules of procedure of the Human Rights Committee, rule 92. See www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/freedom-of-expression/safety-ofjournalists/. 11