Complaint
A listener complained that, while being interviewed about the previous night鈥檚 Iranian missile attack on Israel and the prospects for an Israeli response, Jeremy Bowen had perpetuated the 鈥渓egal fallacy鈥 that embassies and consulates are the sovereign territory of the countries they represent.聽 The ECU considered the complaints in the light of the 成人快手鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
The presenter put it to Mr Bowen that one of the factors which had prompted the Iranian strike was the Israeli attack on a consular building in Damascus on 1 April.聽 Commenting on the statement issued by the IDF after the attack, Mr Bowen said
鈥淚srael claims it was not a diplomatic building, ie not legally Iranian soil鈥.聽 While accepting that the territory on which diplomatic buildings are located remains that of the host country, the ECU considered this to be beside the point which was under consideration.聽 Diplomatic and consular premises buildings are protected from attack by the Charter of the United Nations as well as the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.聽 Much of the international reaction to the 1 April attack hinged on the belief that its target was a diplomatic building, which should have been inviolable irrespective of its precise territorial status.聽 In the context, the ECU did not consider Mr Bowen鈥檚 words to have been materially misleading to listeners, or to constitute a breach of due accuracy.
Not upheld