23rd October 2003
UN
Refugee agency has grave concerns over tabloid reporting of asylum.
The UN Refugee
agency (UNHCR) welcomed the publication today by the Press Complaints
Commission of guidance on the reporting of asylum and refugee
issues, but expressed its grave concern that the tabloid press
will continue to publish inaccurate and misleading stories which
are a danger to good community relations.
UNHCR believes
that the publication of the PCC guidance will be a valuable step
in reminding editors of their responsibility to report these stories
accurately, however fears that the type of the reporting that
has been seen in recent years, which has sought to create an atmosphere
of fear and hostility, may continue.
Hostile and
alarmist media coverage of asylum and refugees undermines the
lives of those who have had to flee persecution, usually from
countries where there is no free press, rather than inform any
legitimate public debate on these issues.
Examples of
such reporting include: the giving of undue prominence to outlandish
and scaremongering claims from fringe groups and individuals;
the portrayal of “asylum seekers” as hooded and masked
young men seeking entry to the UK, whose actual status is unknown;
and the unwarranted association of asylum seekers with issues
such as crime and disease.
In order to
help the media in reporting accurately, UNHCR will soon be publishing,
in co-operation with the National Union of Journalists and the
Presswise Trust, guidelines for journalists on good reporting
of asylum and refugee issues.
UNHCR hopes
that the combination of the PCC guidance, and the additional guidelines
that will be published by UNHCR and the NUJ, will lead to a more
informed and balanced debate on these important issues.
ENDS
