Journalists not spies or belligerents – Pentagon

The Pentagon yesterday updated its law of war manual after a previous version came under fire for appearing to allow commanders to treat journalists as belligerents or spies.

The US Department of Defence manual, the first and most comprehensive of its kind, was first released last June. It compared some of the tasks of journalism to spying or other hostile actions by an enemy.

The manual said some journalists may be considered ‘‘unprivileged belligerents’’ – a legal category with fewer protections than combatants, such as prisoner-of-war status.

‘‘Reporting on military operations can be very similar to collecting intelligence or even spying,’’ one passage of the manual said.

Press freedom advocates said the manual’s wording blurred the line between journalists and combatants and gave commanders the authority to detain reporters without charge.

They also warned that it would erode US credibility abroad at a time when journalists are being targeted by governments and militant groups.

Sixty-nine journalists were killed for their work in 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, up from 61 in 2014. In 2015, 199 journalists were being detained worldwide, compared to 221 in 2014.

After the manual’s release last year, news organisations met with Pentagon officials to protest the language and ask for changes.

The revised manual provides greater detail on the legitimate purposes that journalists serve and makes clear that journalists have all the rights of civilians.