The Human Dimension of Al Jazeera’s Editorial Policy and Field Coverage Yehia Ghanem
Introduction On 10 December 1948, the United Nations proclaimed and adopt- ed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that has become a legal turning point concerning human rights, regardless of colour, race, gender and religious beliefs. Representatives of member states in the global organisation from different cultural and legal back- grounds from all over the world contributed to drafting of the docu- ment. The declaration included thirty articles that covered human rights both physical and moral. No doubt, when it was first proclaimed, the declaration addressed the governments of the member states including those that joined the organisation in the years after. However, with the fast-technological development, the media have become involved in monitoring governments’ adherence to protecting these rights espe- cially considering the three following articles included in the UN dec- laration: Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, ei- ther alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek,
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