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Post by avordvet on Aug 26, 2015 12:18:31 GMT -5
DoD manual allows journalists to be held as 'belligerents'By WENDY BENJAMINSON, Aug. 26, 2015 3:16 AM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — New Defense Department guidelines allow commanders to punish journalists and treat them as "unprivileged belligerents" if they believe journalists are sympathizing or cooperating with the enemy. The Law of War manual, updated to apply for the first time to all branches of the military, contains a vaguely worded provision that military commanders could interpret broadly, experts in military law and journalism say. Commanders could ask journalists to leave military bases or detain journalists for any number of perceived offenses. "In general, journalists are civilians," the 1,180 page manual says, but it adds that "journalists may be members of the armed forces, persons authorized to accompany the armed forces, or unprivileged belligerents." bigstory.ap.org/article/bd7f3c09d8bf4820b7f352ff968def5e/dod-manual-allows-journalists-be-held-belligerents
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