The Pen and the Sword: International Humanitarian Law Protections for Journalism

Barrels of ink have been spilled on the discussion about how to better protect journalists working in warzones.4 Understandably so; throughout the world, journalists covering armed conflicts have been harassed, threatened, denied access, and even killed.5 Scholars have written on the issue of how international humanitarian law (IHL)—the legal framework governing warfare—can better protect journalists and have put forth important and welcome suggestions.6 In doing so, they have documented the expansion of legal protections for wartime journalists. However, few have closely interrogated the underlying question of why IHL protections for journalists have expanded