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9 Nov 2009 14:45:19
A professor at the University of Bedfordshire has organised the first forum on the role of the media in international justice in the Middle East.
Professor Jon Silverman, Professor of Media and Criminal Justice, was asked to organise and chair a forum on international war crimes tribunals in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, from this Wednesday to Friday (11-13 November).
The aim of the forum is to create greater awareness in the Lebanese media of the role of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) which was set up by the United Nations to investigate the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri, in 2005.
Professor Silverman was approached because of his involvement with the BBC World Service Trust, the international charity which trains journalists in developing and transitional countries.
However, in a late twist, security concerns have prevented him from flying out to Beirut to chair the event in person.
Professor Silverman said: “I’m disappointed not to be there but the whole purpose of the forum is to raise awareness of what the tribunal will do and how it will work and this should be the beginning of a process which will improve reporting of the work of the tribunal.”
The creation of the STL was highly controversial because it is the first tribunal set up by the United Nations to investigate and prosecute an act of terrorism, as against crimes against humanity.
Professor Silverman said: “The STL is a highly sensitive issue in Lebanon and this is a ground-breaking event. All the various organs of the tribunal such as the prosecution, defence, registry and the rest will be taking part, which is also a first. I was initially approached at the end of August because I have a wide experience of covering international tribunals.”
Professor Silverman, who was the BBC’s Home Affairs correspondent for 13 years until 2002, has reported from the tribunals set up to prosecute those responsible for mass murder in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia.
In his role as a consultant for the World Service Trust, he is mentoring a group of West African radio journalists covering the trial of the former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, in The Hague.
The income from his participation in this project comes to the University via the Centre for International Media Research and Consultancy (CIMARC).
Latest news» 2009» November» Professor forced to miss out on trip to the Middle East
