Donald Trump's media attacks close to incitement of violence: Top UN official

Outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad alHussein has singled out US President Donald Trumps repeated designation of the press as the enemy of the people terming it very close to incitement to violenceTrumps antipress rhetoric would lead to journalists censoring themselves or being attacked said AlHussein a Jordanian prince and diplomat in an interview to the Guardian dailyAlHussein is stepping down in August from the UN post after deciding not to stand for a second fouryear term in the face of a waning commitment among world powers to fighting abusesHe said the Trump administrations lack of concern about human rights marked a distinct break with previous administrations and that the US Presidents own rhetoric aimed at minorities and at the press was redolent of two of the worst eras of the 20th century the runup to the two world warsWe began to see a campaign against the media hellip that could have potentially and still can set in motion a chain of events which could quite easily lead to harm being inflicted on journalists just going about their work and potentially some selfcensorship AlHussein saidAnd in that context its getting very close to incitement to violenceHe said that Trumps example was already being followed elsewhere giving license to authoritarian leaders to crack down on the media in ways they had not previously dared to the daily said on MondayAlHussein pointed to Cambodian leader Hun Sen who he said had used similar language when he closed down independent media organisationsThe US creates a demonstration effect which then is picked up by other countries where the leadership tends to to be more authoritarian in character or aspires to be authoritarianAlHussein has also taken on the Trump administration over its policy of separating children from their parents in migrant families arrested at the border and the US Presidents own long history of rhetoric aimed at minoritiesThe Trump administration seems to have separated itself from previous administrations in its upholding of human rights globallyThe administrations failure to appoint an ambassador to the Human Rights Council in Geneva before withdrawing from the council altogether AlHussein added was illustrative of the lack of any deep commitment to the human rightsHis advice to his successor Michele Bachelet who has been both a political prisoner and President in her native Chile was to stay courageous and not to run for a second termI would be very suspicious of any commissioner seeking a second term because Id wonder what deals are being struck and if theyd been struck theyve been struck on the back of victims he saidCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Except for the change in the headline the story has been provided ASIS AS AVAILABLE without any verification or editing from our side Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever