http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee 222 Journal of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies Núm. 8 / 2016 For the International Committee of the Red Cross, the main problem is not the lack of rules but instead the widespread disregard for those that already exist.51 How-ever, states have not been able to formalise a system of regular high-level meetings for the promotion and strengthening of IHL, according to the proposal set out in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference in Geneva in 2011, expressing disappointment in the words of the president of ICRC himself, Peter Maurer. 52 This new mechanism would have meant the establishment of annual meetings between the State Parties to the Geneva Conventions with a view to enhancing their application, but it has proved to be a futile attempt. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights notes that improving the protection of reporters and above all monitoring the safety of those who are at most risk continues to be an unresolved matter and an obligation for states at all times53. Yet each war takes a high toll of dozens of reporters injured or killed and these are almost always intentional victims with a view to preventing the dissemination of messages that are not to the lik-ing of one of the parties. The effect on those who supply information is only logical and they are departing from conflict zones in increasing numbers, including from their own countries, out of fear of retaliation. The Committee to Protect Journalists has confirmed that, between 1 June 2014 and 31 May 2015, 82 reporters fled into exile with the support of their programme that provides assistance to journalists.54 Reporting from an area of armed conflict is a high-risk activity, but it creates the momentum necessary to mobilise citizens from other parts of the world to start to criticise governments and boost human-itarian assistance. The indignation promoted within public opinion is an indisputable example of the usefulness of journalism in such situations. WHAT CAN JOURNALISTS DO FOR THE VICTIMS OF ARMED CONFLICTS? The first illustration of the force of the work that journalists carry out is the aforementioned rising rate of incidents that they suffer from: It reflects their capacity to influence the course of events and uncover trickery. When the objective is to shoot the messenger, the aggressor has realised that this is something that may weaken its position. All different types of institutions have stood by this approach in recent 51 Initiative of Switzerland and ICRC to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law. 31 January 2015. https://www.icrc.org/eng/what-we-do/other-activities/development-ihl/strengthening-legal-pro-tection- compliance.htm. 52 https://www.icrc.org/en/document/no-agreement-states-mechanism-strengthen-compliance-rules-war 53 Sentence IACHR, case of Vélez Restrepo and family vs. Colombia. 3 September 2012, paragraph 209. http://www.bjdh.org.mx/interamericano/doc?doc=casos_sentencias/CasoVelezRestrepoFamiliares_Excepcion- PreliminarFondoReparacionesCostas.htm. 54 A/69/268 The safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. Report of the Secretary-General (July 2014) para. 6. http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/69/268&referer=/english/&Lang=E.
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