Peaceful public demonstrations will be permitted at off-site locations run by Jamaican authorities, the statement said. It is unclear whether such a space has been set up.
Only ISA-approved documents may be distributed within the venue, and only its staff may distribute such materials.
etiquette
Using the ISA’s name, insignia or logo during the talks in a way that authorities deem “wrong” also violated the new rules. At the last ISA meeting in March, Authorities demand Greenpeace immediately remove Campaign posters posted outside the venue called it the “irresponsible Seabed Authority”.
At the same time, the media must not use “parodies”, such as caricatures of representatives, heads of state or other individuals. Journalists, camera or sound technicians are not allowed to engage in “mocking or criticism” of the ISA, member states, the Secretariat, Jamaican government authorities or “any individual who violates basic rules of decorum”.
Audio or video recording of public and private formal meetings is also prohibited. The ISA reasoned that all of its meetings were webcast and recordings were available.
Attendees must obtain prior approval from the ISA Press Office for recordings in conference rooms during breaks, and prior approval of the Press Office and event organizers for recordings at side events.
Refusal to abide by any of the rules “may result in expulsion from the venue or denial of entry” to the venue, the ISA said.
cruel
The purpose of the rules is to “ensure the efficient functioning and management of all meetings and activities of the International Seabed Authority without interference of any kind and to create a safe, professional and trusting working environment,” the document said.
It also noted that the number of attendees at ISA meetings has also “increased substantially,” leading to an increased need to manage them so they “achieve their goals.”
“During the negotiations, there was a lot of discussion within civil society organizations wondering what was possible and what was not. The risk of de-branding or de-accreditation would be very costly, especially for the many trekkers taking part in these Negotiators,” said Louisa Casson, head of global programs at Greenpeace.
She called the rules “draconian,” especially those that go beyond actual meeting conduct, but prohibited criticism or even imitation, she said. “Humor is a useful way to try and communicate what’s going on in these rather obscure negotiations,” she said.
Carson also pointed out that the language used by the ISA in the document also needs explanation. “Who decides what is meant by ‘improper use’ and what are the criteria? When freedom of expression is a fundamental right that should be upheld, especially with international organizations affiliated with the UN, on what basis do they judge that criticism in general is not allowed Yes,” she said.
Carson added that the ISA has yet to communicate its rules widely to negotiating participants. “We found that even some governments were very concerned about the regulations, but they didn’t feel like they were being consulted,” she said.
stigma
The ISA has been criticized in the past for lack of transparency and access to public participation. A study in 2022 It concluded that the agency had “ignored” its obligations to human rights law and lacked transparency when it came to public engagement.
Elisa Morgera, professor of global environmental law at the University of Strathclyde and co-author of the paper, said civil society participation in ISAs in general was “very difficult” and “extraordinarily contentious” and that the The way the agency deals with environmental issues is also controversial. Human rights defenders “nearly stigmatized and harassed”.
Noting that the regulations claim to be in line with the best practices of the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations, she said: “They certainly do not conform to any of the United Nations processes that I am familiar with.”
“Security personnel are assigned a lot of powers, but there’s no clear indication of how they’re going to wield those powers, or even any indication of justification for their actions,” she said.
“One of the points raised against human rights defenders in international law is that their rights are often violated in their confrontation with security officials.”
violation
Security officials should be trained to recognize and respect everyone’s right to free expression, especially the rights of environmental human rights defenders,” she said.
Mogra said the NGO staff currently involved in the negotiations are confused by the rules. “They were very unclear if there was any way for them to share knowledge and engage in an acceptable process,” she reports.
“I think we’re moving beyond concerns about transparency here, which may violate people’s right to free speech,” she said.
She added that ISA member states are obliged to respect human rights under the treaties they sign and therefore restrictions on the right to free expression should not be turned a blind eye.
The ISA did not respond to a request for comment or to clarify details of the arrangements for the off-site protest.
pause
Negotiations on the ISA will continue until July 28. Activists do not expect deep sea mining regulations to be finalized by the end of the talks.
“There’s only 100 pages of bracketed text in the regulations so far, and there’s a lot that hasn’t been done,” said Bobbi-Jo Dobush, legal officer for the Ocean Foundation, a US-based community foundation.
“The ISA member states have been working on this issue for decades – conceptually, delegates haven’t even agreed on major issues. We’re really far from regulation.”
However, for the first time in the history of the ISA, it will also discuss a proposal Long-term moratorium on deep sea mining.
Several countries, including Chile, Costa Rica, Palau and Vanuatu, have put forward this proposal, emphasizing the obligation of governments to protect the marine environment from damage caused by deep sea mining, and the IMB’s government has decided that its marine environment must be preserved and not destroyed. International climate and biodiversity commitments and the precautionary principle.
Activists don’t necessarily expect the proposal to pass this year, Carson said. “But it will help show us which governments are able to back strong action and which remain uncertain or hesitant.
“It’s a good litmus test for what’s currently being debated, which is that many governments want to use the ISA to really curb the industry, rather than see it accelerate,” she said.
the author
Catherine Early is a freelance environmental reporter and chief correspondent ecologist.she tweeted at @Cat_Early76.
