As part of its ongoing efforts to document grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law resulting from the recent military aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran, and to contribute to international human rights discourse through engagement with leading international experts, the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV) conducted an exclusive interview with Jordan Flaherty.
Jordan Flaherty is an award-winning American journalist, producer, and author. He has reported extensively on social movements, armed conflicts, and human rights issues, including from Palestine, and has produced documentaries and television programs for Al Jazeera, including its Emmy-, Peabody-, and duPont Award-winning program Fault Lines, as well as productions for Democracy Now and teleSUR.
In this interview, Flaherty discusses the humanitarian consequences of military attacks and unilateral coercive measures, the responsibilities of independent journalism in documenting civilian suffering, the challenges posed by media censorship and selective narratives, and the importance of international accountability for violations of international law and human rights.
The views expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence.
The full transcript of this interview follows:
1. Recent military aggression have caused extensive damage to residential areas, hospitals, schools, and other civilian infrastructure in Iran, resulting in significant civilian casualties, including many children. From the perspective of international humanitarian law, what legal principles should guide the assessment of such military attacks, and what mechanisms should exist to ensure accountability when civilian populations are affected?
I am not an expert on humanitarian law, so I cannot give an expert legal perspective, but from my view, the US/Israeli war on Iran has been illegal from the beginning, and no actions taken by the US within that context are legal. The US has also taken a lead in dismantling international systems of accountability, from the UN to the International Criminal Court. These are the kind of mechanisms, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that are needed to hold nations accountable for their actions and uphold peace and safety for all.
2. Throughout your career, you have reported extensively on social movements, conflict, and the Middle East. What responsibilities do independent journalists have when reporting on wars in situations where the realities on the ground in the targeted country differ significantly from the narratives presented by the attacking country? What challenges have you observed in ensuring that civilian experiences are accurately documented?
I am continually stunned by the gap between what is reported in US media and the reality of life – and of US actions – around the world. Journalists, who should be committed to principles of honesty and fairness continually choose to distort the truth, and are rewarded for their dishonesty. There have been moments where social media has allowed people in the US to hear from perspectives of people in Palestine, Iran, China, and elsewhere, but even those opportunities are being shut down as the ownership of the social media companies is concentrated in the hands of right wing US billionaires. For US journalists, or anyone trying to tell the truth about US aggression in Palestine, Iran, or elsewhere, we face multiple levels of censorship. The large US media institutions will not allow these truths in their outlets, and the social media companies will block them from being seen.
3. Recent events have once again raised questions about the humanitarian consequences of unilateral coercive measures (UCMs) imposed alongside armed conflict. From your perspective, how do unilateral sanctions interact with war to affect access to medicine, healthcare, education, and other essential civilian needs? Should these impacts receive greater attention within international human rights discussions?
We have seen again and again that unilateral coercive measures harm civilian populations, and are not an effective tool for change. UCMs are a tool of warfare, and one that allows the aggressive nation to avoid taking responsibility for the civilian harm they cause. Civilian harm caused by these measures – for example, the decades-long US blockade of Cuba, which has recently been intensified, should be seen as illegal, and other nations should have a responsibility to intervene to protect the nation under attack.
4. The recent military attacks have also heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about regional security, freedom of navigation, and the risk of further escalation. Under international law, how should the responsibilities of states that initiate military attacks be assessed when their actions create broader threats to regional stability and international shipping? What legal principles should guide efforts to prevent further escalation while respecting the security concerns of coastal states?
I cannot give a perspective on international law, but as a journalist I think the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a good tool for assessing these situations, and for assessing the responsibility of other nations. initiating military attacks that create broader threats to regional stability and international shipping is illegal under international law, and all nations should be accountable to international law. There should be no exception for the powerful.
5. Beyond the immediate human casualties, wars often leave long-term environmental consequences through damage to industrial facilities, energy infrastructure, water resources, and ecosystems. In your view, should environmental harm during armed conflict receive greater international attention and accountability? What role can journalists and civil society play in documenting these often-overlooked consequences?
The entire world is at risk due to climate change, and our international addiction to fossil fuels puts everyone at risk, and especially communities on the front lines of environmental harm, such as the coastal communities near where I live in Louisiana. When the US threatens to destroy energy infrastructure, that is illegal. The entire world saw how the Israeli military targeted civilian infrastructure in Gaza: Schools, water treatment centers, hospitals, power plants, shelters, and more. The environmental effects will be felt for generations. Not only has the Israeli government faced no accountability for this, the current US government appears to have been inspired by the Israeli crimes. Journalists and civil society have a duty to speak out, in every way they can, and to challenge the powerful lift up the voices that are being silenced.
