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By Matthew Russell Lee, Video, Petition, Q&A, 2d Video

UNITED NATIONS, July 13 – Inner City Press on July 5 was banned from entering the UN, the day after it filed a criminal complaint against UN Security for physically removing it from covering the meeting about the UN's $6.7 billion peacekeeping budget, as witnessed and essentially cheered on by senior UN official Christian Saunders, tearing its reporter's shirt, painfully and intentionally twisting his arm and slamming shut and damaging his laptop. On July 13, still banned from entering the UN, Inner City Press submitted questions before UN Spokesman Farhan Haq's near empty briefing, including: "Still banned from UN, I was belatedly “interviewed” by UN Security in the basement of the UNITAR building on July 10 from 10:45 to 12:05. I have two more questions on that; as I've told you, DPI has not responded to a single one of my seven emails so I am asking you:

1) who is responsible for deciding, between 10 pm July 3 when I was assaulted by UN DSS Lt Dobbins and another UNnamed, and 10 am on July 5, that I was and am banned from entering the UN? Who participated in this decision?

2) Your office yesterday told The Independent (UK) that “a review ha[s] been launched into the manner in which Mr Lee had been removed and his future accreditation.” How my accreditation should suffer for having been assaulted by Lt Dobbins and unnamed colleagues, for the second time in 11 days, is a mystery or worse. But please state how it is possible for DSS to investigate itself in this matter. What provisions does the UN have when abuse BY UN Security officers is alleged, and how does it impact for example their New York and other gun permits?

July 13-1: Two full days ago I asked your Office about the video of Cameroon soldiers executing women and infants. You have still not answered. Now that Amnesty International has verified the video, what has the UN done about it? What will the UN do? Relatedly, what is the UN's comment on “Cameroon's President Paul Biya has announced that he will be a candidate in the 7 October presidential election that would, if he wins, extend his 35-year-rule. Biya tweeted 'I am willing to respond positively to your overwhelming calls. I will stand as your candidate in the upcoming presidential election'”

July 13-2: Saudi King Salman has ‘pre-exonerated’ all troops fighting in Yemen from any accountability issues they may face over their conduct in the war, in which thousands of civilians have been killed and wounded. A statement announcing the early pardon, released by Saudi Arabia's state news agency SPA, said the pardon extends to “all military men across the armed forces” taking part in Operation Restoring Hope.” Given that the SG accepted Saudi's $930 Million check, what is his comment?

July 13-3: In Spain El Pais reports that Equatorial Guinea protects President Teodoro Obiang from coups by hiring combat pilots and commanders of warships from Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania in a "flagrant regime of illegality" and violating international regulations, according to a report of the Spanish police. What is the UN's comment and action?

July 13-4: Before being ousted and now banned, I had asked at the noon briefing about the status / absence of USG Heidi Mendoza from OIOS. While that was not answered, having now learned more, this is a written request that you confirm that USG Mendoza has been on leave for approximate six months, that you state (as I requested) who is the Officer in Charge, that you state the current role in OIOS of Michael Dudley, and that you provide the SGs comments on and response to the decision in [ ]

July 13-5: With the Fifth Committee's rejection of SG Guterres' GSDM proposal in the process from which I was ousted and banned from covering, what is SG Guterres' plan? Relately, on the “reconfiguring of the development system,” how much money has been raised and when will SG Guterres file the required Program Budget Implication?" No answers. But a tape recorder holder for a Japanese media that reports more, in a racist fashion, on US rappers finally asked a (lame) question. We'll have more on this. On July 9, while Haq claimed that this one-way assault was an "altercation" justifying the ban of the journalist improperly ousted and assaulted, Haq did not by 1 pm answer a single one of these questions then making him one for six and trying to keep Inner City Press out from Guterres' long delayed July 12 press conference (a subsequent answer, published in full below, claims that Guterres is committed to press freedom in Myanmar and Sudan). Later on July 9, Haq belatedly answered Inner City Press' July 6 question about Canada in Mali, below, with this: "Regarding your earlier question on Mali, we have the following to say: We can confirm that an advance party of 25 Canadian military troops have so far been deployed to MINUSMA as part of the 136-strong aviation unit to be deployed to UN peacekeeping by the Government of Canada, according to our memorandum of understanding (MOU) with this troop-contributing country. Canada has not submitted any nominations for Police contingent members to MINUSMA to date." No police, 25 out of 136. The July 9 questions: "Since I am still, for a third business day, banned from the UN without due process (see below), here are three question for answer before or at the noon briefing:

July 9-1: In South Sudan, the opposition has reportedly rejected a peace plan under which Riek Machar would be reinstated as vice president. What is the SG's (and separately UNMISS') comment and role if any in the process?

July 9-2: What is the Secretary General's response to the demand by Transparency International and others that its MOU on the return of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar be made public? And please explain what part of Bangladesh's plan for a distant island for Rohingya the SG finds or found interesting. And what is the SG's comment (and action) on the charged now announced by Myanmar against journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo?

July 9-3: “Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Sunday seized copies of Al-Jareeda and Akhir Lahza newspapers without stating reasons” -- what is the SG's comment, and separately his country team's action?

On the “ban” -- Fox News reported this ban is pending a review. I have not been contacted concerning any review. Despite DSS and DPI not have spokespeople, on July 6 I was told to contact them. I wrote to DPI's USG Smale, again - without any response. So I ask again: who is conducting the review your Office told Fox News about? When does it end? How does it not involve Inner City Press, which is now banned for a third business day?

What is the Secretariat's comment on/ response to this?

July 6, 2018, “Harassment of US Journalist Intensifies at the UN,” https://www.whistleblower.org/blog/103306-harassment-us-journalist-intensifies-un

To whom in the UN do I submit my evidence for this “review”?" After 1 pm, Haq replied with this: "Regarding South Sudan, the UN Mission in South Sudan welcomes the apparent progress being made in the peace process as talks between the South Sudanese parties continue in Khartoum. It is encouraging that there appears to be fresh momentum and that all the various stakeholders are actively engaged in the discussions. The Mission also acknowledges and appreciates the strong lead role of sub-regional actors in facilitating the discussions.

On Myanmar, we remain concerned at the arrest and continued detention of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.  The Secretary-General has repeatedly urged  for the release of the journalists and for the authorities to respect the right to freedom of expression and information.  We will continue to raise the issue as a high priority at every possible opportunity.

On Sudan, we continue to call for freedom of expression, including the rights of the media." Oh really. On July 6, when Inner City Press went to the gate to ask politely if it could as before enter to attend the noon briefing and ask questions, it was told "No." Inner City Press reiterated its concern about censorship to Darrin Farrant, a staff member of Alison Smale of DPI who has not answered Inner City Press' six emails and petition; he said he would pass the concern along. We are waiting, in the rain, for an answer. At the day's noon briefing, the UN's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq took questions from France 24, Moroccan state media, Reuters and quickly turned over the podium to the PGA's spokesman. Inner City Press had asked Haq: "Since Inner City Press' six inquiries with the head of DPI Alison Smale have gone unanswered, and I am as you know banned from entering the building, who are you telling me to contact in Security and DPI? Aren't you the spokesperson for the Secretariat? Need answer immediately. For now, for noon, three questions:

In Tanzania, Julius Mtatiro asenior leader of a Tanzanian opposition party has been arrested for insulting President John Magufuli by asking“Who is the President, really?” Police detained him “as they found this phrase offensive to the president. They went on to search Mr Mtatiro’s home for the device used to post on social media.” What is the Secretary General's comment - and his / Country Team's action?

It is reported that Canada will deploy up to 20 civilian police officers to support both the United Nations peacekeeping mission and the EU training mission in Mali. So, will they be part of MINUSMA? How many Canadian personnel are currently part of MINUSMA, and what is the plan and timetable for additional Canadian joining of MINUSMA? Will Canadian troops have different (and significantly, better) security equipment that other countries' troops in MINUSMA?

On the deadly class between DRC's and Uganda's militaries on Lake Edward, what is the SG's comment and what is MONUSCO's action?" So far, even after the briefing, only this: "Regarding your question on Lake Edward, there is no comment or response from MONUSCO." We'll have more on this.

Haq told Fox News "Matthew Lee [i]s a repeat offender, having been similarly removed from the building on 22 June 2018, Matthew Lee has been temporarily barred from the premises pending a full review of this incident." There is no offense by Inner City Press: the rules permit Inner City Press to cover meetings after 7 pm, on June 22 a speech by Secretary General Antonio Guterres and on July 3 a meeting about Guterres' $6.7 billion budget. So since no one from the UN contacted Inner City Press on July 5 about any review, Inner City Press wrote to Haq and his boss Stephane Dujarric (out of the office again). Haq replied, "Receipt is confirmed. For questions about security issues, you will need to be in touch with security and with DPI." But neither Department has a spokesperson - Haq is the spokesperson for the Secretariat -- and Inner City Press has written six times to the head of DPI without a single response. The head of DPI ordered an investigation of him own staff after Inner City Press published a leaked email about him "burying" a threat to another UN system official, Irina Bokova (who may, some say, become High Commissioner for Human Rights). So Haq's "answer" is Orwellian. We will have more on this. Guterres was informed on June 25 by Inner City Press of the escalating targeting by his UN Security Lieutenant Ronald E. Dobbins. In fact, Guterres deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on July 3 essentially gave the green light for that evening's Security violence. On July 5, Guterres' lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric refused to answer press questions about the ouster before "his" noon briefing. Afterward, when Saunders sauntered out of the UN in black sunglasses and was informed that Inner City Press was now banned, his response was to complain about some of the written coverage of him. Video here. So is that why he cheered on the twisting of the Press' arm? Will this obviously biased official be witness in the "full review of the incident" pending which Inner City Press is indefinitely banned? Brenden Varma the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly Miroslav Lajcak (whose chief of staff and under-staffer were also informed of the Press ban) said, as his office summarized, "This afternoon at 3:00, the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which handles administrative and budgetary matters, will formally take action on all outstanding issues, including United Nations peacekeeping budgets and the Secretary-General’s management reform and peace and security architecture reform proposals.
It will then close the second part of its resumed session.
Following that, the General Assembly plenary will meet to consider the report of the Fifth Committee." Inner City Press was banned from this meeting and vote. While the UN has told Inner City Press nothing, Guterres spokesman Farhan Haq told FOX News' Adam Shaw that "security followed up, they found Matthew Lee to be in the building past 9 p.m., well after the hours for a non-resident correspondent, and they informed him that he was not allowed to roam around the UN compound at that hour. They informed him that he would be required to leave the premises. At that point, Mr. Lee became loud and belligerent, and resisted the instructions of UN security officers. He was then escorted outside the building, along with his laptop and backpack. Based on his unacceptable behavior, and the fact that he was a repeat offender, having been similarly removed from the building on 22 June 2018, Matthew Lee has been temporarily barred from the premises pending a full review of this incident." But Inner City Press has not been contacted for any review, which would have to include UN Security twisting its reporter's arm before any volume, and the MALU rule permitted coverage of meetings after 7 pm, and for an hour after then end. This was pure targeting, and Guterres and his team are responsible.  Eleven days after UN Security officers led by UN Lieutenant Ronald E. Dobbin and four others who refused to give their names pushed Inner City Press' reporter out of the UN during a speech by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on July 3 just after Inner City Press interviewed the chairman of the UN Budget Committee, Dobbins and another UN Security officer even more physically removed Inner City Press from the UN. Video here, tweeted here. Hours later as diplomats and Guterres officials who witnessed it left the UN, Inner City Press asked Guterres' Under Secretary General for Field Support Atul Khare about the process. He admitted, contrary to Guterres' spokesman, that the Support Account was still not agreed. Shown the shirt that UN Security officers Dobbins and his thus far UNnamed partner tore, he said, "I'll talk to DPI." While appreciated, Inner City Press already six times wrote to DPI's Alison Smale, and last week spoke directly to her and her piano playing husband Sergei Dreznin at the End of UNSC Presidency reception. Inner City Press told Smale, and an hour later emailed her, that her continued disparate treatment of active Inner City Press as a non - resident correspondent would allow further targeting like that of Lieutenant Dobbins and four unnamed Emergency Response Unit officers on June 22. Smale didn't even confirm receipt of the email as requested. And on July 3 a new officer got involved as Inner City Press covered the UN budget, breaking Inner City Press' laptop, tearing its shirt and twisting its arm. Smale and Guterres are responsible. This all happened as Inner City Press was actively writing about the UN's murky $6.7 billion peacekeeping budget and questionable reforms by Guterres. It happened directly in front of, and ultimately at the order of, a Guterres Assistant Secretary General, Christian Saunders. A number of diplomats stood and took pictures and videos. Here as the interview, pre-ouster, with the Budget Committee chairman Tommo Monthe of Cameroon, video here. Guterres' spokesman Farhan on both July 2 and July 3 insisted to Inner City Press that the budget was agreed to in a closed session on Sunay, when clearly it has not been approved. While we will have more on the other UN Security Officer, Inner City Press has previously reported on issues with Saunders, from education to the cover up of sexual harassment and abuse in the UN. The fact that Antonio Guterres allows this to go on in his UN should disqualify him. The UN had at least 11 days to deal with this - Inner City Press repeatedly at the noon briefing asked about the rules, and the budget - and this was their response. Significantly, on July 3 the Government Accountability Project has criticized the ouster and called for Inner City Press to be reinstated as a UN Resident Correspondent. Inner City Press asked Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I'd asked you, a week ago, about the UN policy of UN security ousting the non-resident correspondent during a meeting to be covered and refusing to give their names, and now the Government Accountability Project has asked the same question.  So I'm wondering, you didn't ask me when I answered it [sic], what is the policy of the UN on something as fundamental as security officers giving their names, and also can they oust journalists during a meeting such as a budget meeting that will be upcoming, I would believe, in upcoming days?

Deputy Spokesman:  As far as I'm aware, the security officers were enforcing the appropriate rules.  Any problems that you have with them are questions that you need to address with our colleagues in UN security and with Media Accreditation." But as GAP notes, the boss of Media Accreditation Alison Smale has refused to answer anything in eight months. GAP writes: "as security expelled Mr. Lee from the building, he encountered Catherine Pollard, the UN’s Under-Secretary General (USG) for General Assembly and Conference Management, who pointedly ignored his plight and simply stayed her course, despite his plea for her intervention. Along the way, Mr. Lee also asked the guards for their names, which they refused to provide. This most recent incident is the latest in a long history of harassment directed at a journalist who has been critical of UN management and operations over the years. Mr. Lee’s investigative reporting has broken stories concerning sexual abuses committed by peacekeepers in Africa, the role of UN peacekeepers in bringing cholera to Haiti, and war crimes in Sri Lanka, Burundi and Sudan [and Cameroon]. Mr. Lee’s reporting has also helped to expose corruption at the Headquarters of the United Nations, including the current bribery scandals surrounding former General Assembly President [Sam Kutesa and] John Ashe."

  In the eleven days since the ouster, live-streamed on Periscope and then put on YouTube, the UN of Antonio Guterres has not responded in any way. Inner City Press was first told to "Ask Security" then to "Ask DPI" or as it now absurdly wants to be known, the UN Department of Global Communications. But as GAP continues, "Like USG Pollard, the Under-Secretary for Global Communications, Alison Smale, seems deaf to Mr. Lee’s distress; she has refused for eight months to answer e-mails or respond to a petition to restore his credentials as a resident correspondent." Inner City Press since the ouster has raised it to Smale not only in writing (again) but also in person - with no response. Global Communications, indeed. GAP concludes: The Government Accountability Project therefore urges the Member States of the United Nations to combat the silencing of a journalist by taking action at the offices of the self-appointed guardian of free speech, itself: the United Nations. Matthew Lee should be: Reinstated as a resident correspondent with appropriate access to facilities and events, and Issued a public apology for the improper expulsion that occurred on June 22nd." To Inner City Press, it is the first of these, restoration to its long time work space S-303 which sits empty every day, assigned to an Egypt state media Akhbar al Yom whose Sanaa Youssef, while a former president of the UN Correspondents Association (1984) has not asked the UN  a question in a decade. As to apologies from today's UN, the disingenuous apology in Haiti for example shows how much those are worth. We'll have more on this. Guterres' lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric evaded Inner City Press' questions then ran off the podium. Video here. Despite the fact that Guterres' armed guards ousted Inner City Press and that the UN Department of Public Information under Alison Smale did nothing, Dujarric babbled that Inner City Press should "ask DPI" then ran off the podium. Video here. From the UN (controlled) transcript: Inner City Press: Farhan [Haq], on Monday, when I informed him that on Friday I had been, during an event in which the Secretary-General was giving a speech, made to leave by UN Security while other non-resident correspondents, a distinction you just cited, were still in attendance, he said to talk to security.  And that seems strange to me, because it seems to me that the Secretariat, like civilian…

Spokesman:  I think if there are any issues that you have…

Inner City Press: My issue…

Spokesman:  If you have any issues with your access, you should take them up with DPI [Department of Public Information] and the people who actually issue the accreditation.

Inner City Press:  They came… they came and they said there was nothing they could do…

Spokesman:  "Thank you very much.  Brenden." The UN transcript omitted the audible question, "So can Security just at will bar journalists?" Video here. The UN of Guterres, Dujarric and Smale is a place of corruption and censorship, and self-serving erasure even of the questions asked, with the public's money. The day before, after cutting off Inner City Press' question about protests of Guterres' inaction on sexual harassment cover-ups at UNAIDS, Dujarric called on a correspondent for a London-based Arabic daily. Then he called on that same correspondent again before returning to Inner City Press. Sensing this second round might be cut off, Inner City Press began asking about Guterres inaction on Cameroon then on his Security's ouster of the Press which asks. But Dujarric after evading the Cameroon question turned to Al Jazeera which asked what even it called a light question about the French label pin on Dujarric's sear-sucker jacket. Then Dujarric simply left the room, so that Inner City Press' question about Guterres' use of his Security to target the Press could not be asked. On June 22 Inner City Press was live-streaming Periscope and preparing to write about Secretary General Antonio Guterres' claims about his visit to Mali, where he didn't even inquire into a recent case child rape by a UN Peacekeeper. With the event still ongoing, Inner City Press was approached by Lieutenant Dobbins and told that since it was just past 7 pm it had to leave the building. Video here.

 That is not the rule, nor the practice. But Inner City Press under Guterres and his head of Global Communications Alison Smale has inexplicable been at the "non-resident correspondent" level lowered from that of no-show state media like Akbhar al Yom's Sanaa Youssef, assigned Inner City Press' long time office despite rarely coming in and not asking a question in ten years.

  While Guterres and Smale have created and encourage the atmosphere for targeting the Press, Dobbins had and has his own reasons. Inner City Press previously exclusively reported on fraudulent promotions in the UN Department of Safety and Security, beginning of series here with a leaked document with Dobbins own name on it, under the heading "Possible Promotions... if Dobbins does not want Canine / ERU." Document here. Since the publication, Dobbins and a number of UN Security officers have openly targeted Inner City Press. This has been raised in writing to Smale (for eight months), for almost 18 months to Guterres and his deputy Amina J. Mohammed, whose response has been to evade questions on Cameroon and now an ambiguous smile while surrounded by UN Security. On June 25 Inner City Press asked Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq about it, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:
on Friday there was the Eid event in which António Guterres gave a speech, and I… I want… I guess I want to put this in a general way because I don't understand it.  During the event, as the event went on, I was required to leave by a Lieutenant Dobbins and the emergency response unit.  And it seemed strange, because there were many other non-resident correspondents at the event.  So, I wanted to know… to know, one, what are the rules?  Number two, is it acceptable for a… a… UN Security to… to single out and target a specific journalist?  And I did… and I ask this because I've previously written a story about promotions in DSS [Department of Safety and Security], including Mr. Dobbins, and whatever that is, what are the provisions in the UN to make sure that security cannot abuse its powers?  So those are… I… I… I'd like you to answer that, and also they didn't give their names.  The other individuals refused to give their names.  Is that UN policy?

Deputy Spokesman:  UN Security has their policies.  Your concerns with them need to be addressed to UN Security.  I'm not going to comment on your own problems with UN Security.  Brenden, come on up.

Inner City Press: I don't understand.  This happened at a speech by the Secretary-General.

Deputy Spokesman:  No, I'm sorry, your security issues are things you're going to have to deal with.

Inner City Press: It's not a security issue.  It was done in the name of the Secretary-General.  Is he speaking tomorrow at 6 p.m. somewhere?  Can you say where the Secretary-General is speaking tomorrow at 6 p.m.?

Deputy Spokesman:  I’m not going to argue with you on this." There was more - video here.

  Even if Lt Dobbins and his team and commanders wanted to interpret and twist the existing rules in a way they are not enforced against any other non-resident correspondent at the UN, the Guterres Eid al -Fitr event listed in the UN Department of Public Information was still ongoing, making it unquestionable that Inner City Press had a right to be in the UN and cover it.

   But even as Inner City Press dialed DPI's Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, getting only voice mail, Dobbins made a call and UN “Emergency Response Unit” officers arrived, with barely concealed automatic weapons. One of them repeatedly pushed Inner City Press' reporter in the back, forcing him through the General Assembly lobby toward the exit. Video here.

   UN Under Secretary General Catherine Pollard was told the ouster and did nothing, as was a Moroccan diplomat. The heavily armed UN Security officers refused to give their names when asked. Lieutenant Dobbins, with no name plate on his uniform, refused to spell his name. He said, I have my orders. From who - Guterres? His Deputy SG or chief of staff, both of whom were at the event? DSS chief Drennan? DPI chief Alison Smale?

    Inner City Press repeatedly asked to be able to get its laptop computer, which was upstairs - there was no way to have known it would be ousted during Guterres' event.

  But Dobbins and the others refused, as did the UN Security officers at the gate. Inner City Press remained there, with dwindling cell phone battery, raising the issue online to Smale, under whose watch Inner City Press has remained in the non-resident correspondent status it was reduced to for pursuing the Ng Lp Seng UN bribery case into the UN press briefing room where Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric ordered it out, then had it evicted. A DPI representative, whom Inner City Press asked to call Smale, was unable or unwilling to even let Inner City Press go in escorted to get its laptop.

   Just in the past week, when Inner City Press complained of Dujarric providing only to Al Jazeera the response of Antonio Guterres to the US leaving the UN Human Rights Council, Dujarric and the Al Jazeera trio claimed to MALU that the coverage was “too aggressive.” Journalism is not a crime? Next week, Antonio Guterres is set to give remarks, to which Inner City Press has requested the right to cover response, to the UN Correspondents Association, which not only has not acted on this censorship, but has fueled it.

  Inside the UN the Eid event continued, alongside a liquor fueled barbeque thrown by UN Security. This DSS sold tickets to non resident correspondents, and allowed in people who had nothing to do with the UN, including some seeming underage. When Inner City Press audibly raised the issue to UN Safety and Security Service chief Mick Brown, he did nothing.

   The Moroccan diplomat emerged and chided Inner City Press for even telling him of the ouster, claiming that “25% of what you write is about Morocco.” Some Periscope video here. Pakistan's Permanent Representative, who hosted the Eid event, said she would look into it. Sweden's spokesperson asked whom to call in DPI and when Inner City Press said, Alison Smale, responded, Who is Alison Smale? Indeed.

  Smale has refused to respond in any way, in the eight months she has been Guterres' “Global Communications” chief, to a 5000 signature petition to restore Inner City Press to its unused office S-303 and to adopt content neutral media access rules going forward. That, and appropriate action on Lt. Dobbins and the others, must be among the next steps. Watch this site.

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