A/HRC/21/32 E. Media and journalists 45. In paragraph 11 (b) of its resolution 19/22, the Human Rights Council demanded that the Syrian authorities put an immediate end to all attacks on journalists and that they ensure adequate protection, fully respect freedom of expression and allow independent and international media to operate. 46. The Government pledged to ensure freedom of movement for journalists throughout the country and to ensure a non-discriminatory visa policy for them, in accordance with the six-point plan. After 25 March 2012, the Government accelerated the issuance of entry visas to journalists. During the period under review, OHCHR periodically received notes verbales from the Government concerning the number of international and Arab journalists and media organizations that had been issued entry visas. In the most recent communication on the subject, received on 16 July 2012 and covering the period from 25 March to 12 July 2012, the Government stated that more than 237 international media outlets had entered the Syrian Arab Republic. In this connection, it also referred to its letter dated 31 May 2012 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, addressed to the President of the Security Council and me (S/2012/389), in which it listed the names of 28 foreign journalists who had reportedly entered the country illegally. 47. As noted in my report to the Security Council on the implementation of Council resolution 2043 (2012) (S/2012/523), several international media outlets reported that visas had not been issued for several months to their journalists. Some Syrian journalists reported that they had been detained by Government forces or physically attacked or harassed by anti-Government gatherings. There were also reports that journalists affiliated to official Syrian media channels would not venture into areas controlled by anti-Government armed groups out of concern for their safety. 48. On 28 June 2012, the Government informed OHCHR that “terrorist armed groups” had attacked the headquarters of the Syrian news channel Al-Ikhbariya, near Damascus, on 27 June, destroying the station and killing three journalists, four team members and the security guards of the building. On 2 July, the Al-Nusra Front, on its website, claimed responsibility for the attack. 49. In the opinion of the Government, the Human Rights Council had overlooked the issue of sanctions imposed on Syrian governmental and non-governmental media outlets, the press and bloggers by some Member States. The Government referred to, inter alia, the resolution of the League of Arab States of 2 June 2012, in which it requested the administrators of the Arab satellite communications organization to take the action necessary to stop broadcasting Syrian governmental and non-governmental satellite channels. In the view of the Government, the resolution was aimed at censoring and excluding alternative views from the mainstream media discourse. In this context, the Government also referred to a note verbale of 19 June 2012 addressed to the President of the Security Council and me (A/66/853-S/2012/461). The Government saw these measures as unilateral and aimed at silencing the Syrian national media, in blatant contradiction with the principle of freedom of media and information and with the provision of the six-point plan regarding the freedom of movement of journalists. According to the Government, such measures gave the green light to “terrorist armed groups” to target Syrian journalists and media organizations. F. Foreign nationals 50. In paragraph 11 (c) of its resolution 19/22, the Human Rights Council demanded that the Syrian authorities take immediate steps to ensure the safety of foreign nationals in 12