Trump may be inciting ‘violence’ against media: UN

GENEVA: The UN human rights chief said Wednesday that President Donald Trump's relentless attacks on the media could trigger violence against journalists, suggesting the US leader would be responsible, reports AFP.

In a broad condemnation of Trump's conduct in office, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said he viewed the US presidency as the driver of "the bus of humanity", accusing Trump of "reckless driving".

Zeid, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, also blasted Trump's decision to pardon former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt last month for illegally profiling Hispanic immigrants.

On the media, Zeid voiced particular alarm over Trump's verbal assaults on CNN, the New York Times and Washington Post.

"To call these news organisations 'fake' does tremendous damage and to refer to individual journalists in this way, I have to ask the question, is this not an incitement for others to attack journalists?

"And let's assume a journalist is harmed from one of these organisations, does the president not bear responsibility for this, for having fanned this?" Zeid told reporters in Geneva.

"I believe it could amount to incitement," he added, saying Trump had set in motion a cycle that includes "incitement, fear, self-censorship and violence."

According to the rights chief, Trump's assault on the media has emboldened other countries to crack down on press freedoms.

"The demonisation of the press is poisonous because it has consequences elsewhere," Zeid said.

He expressed specific concern over Trump's speech in Arizona earlier this month in which journalists were condemned by the US leader as "dishonest people" who "don't like our country".

Turning to the pardon for Arpaio, a hugely controversial figure intially targeted for prosecution by former president Barack Obama's justice department, Zeid said he was deeply disturbed by Trump's decision.

"I had to ask myself the question what does this mean? Does the president support racial profiling of Latinos in particular? Does he support abuse of prisoners?

"Arpaio at one stage referred to the open air prison that he set up as a 'concentration camp'", Zeid said, asking "does the president support this?"

Arpaio, who was known to make detainees wear pink underwear to humiliate them, housed prisoners in tent camps surrounded by barbed wire, in the scorching Arizona desert. The former sheriff once likened the encampment to a concentration camp, although he later backed away from that remark.

 

Trump may be inciting violence against media: UN

GENEVA: The UN human rights chief said Wednesday that President Donald Trumps relentless attacks on the media could trigger violence against journalists, suggesting the US leader would be responsible, reports AFP. In a broad condemnation of Trumps conduct in office, Zeid Raad Al Hussein said he viewed the US presidency as the driver of the bus of humanity, accusing Trump of reckless driving. Zeid, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, also blasted Trumps decision to pardon former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt last month for illegally profiling Hispanic immigrants. On the media, Zeid voiced particular alarm over Trumps verbal assaults on CNN, the New York Times and Washington Post. To call these news organisations fake does tremendous damage and to refer to individual journalists in this way, I have to ask the question, is this not an incitement for others to attack journalists? And lets assume a journalist is harmed from one of these organisations, does the president not bear responsibility for this, for having fanned this? Zeid told reporters in Geneva. I believe it could amount to incitement, he added, saying Trump had set in motion a cycle that includes incitement, fear, self-censorship and violence. According to the rights chief, Trumps assault on the media has emboldened other countries to crack down on press freedoms. The demonisation of the press is poisonous because it has consequences elsewhere, Zeid said. He expressed specific concern over Trumps speech in Arizona earlier this month in which journalists were condemned by the US leader as dishonest people who dont like our country. Turning to the pardon for Arpaio, a hugely controversial figure intially targeted for prosecution by former president Barack Obamas justice department, Zeid said he was deeply disturbed by Trumps decision. I had to ask myself the question what does this mean? Does the president support racial profiling of Latinos in particular? Does he support abuse of prisoners? Arpaio at one stage referred to the open air prison that he set up as a concentration camp, Zeid said, asking does the president support this? Arpaio, who was known to make detainees wear pink underwear to humiliate them, housed prisoners in tent camps surrounded by barbed wire, in the scorching Arizona desert. The former sheriff once likened the encampment to a concentration camp, although he later backed away from that remark.