UNITED NATIONS

NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADD,IESa-ADR.SC& PD$TALI:1 UNITID NATIOHa, N.Y. 111tJ

T.LIPMGIUI 1 (It I) IU1:Ui4il TIELIP'ACIIIULt 1 (ttl) J .4JJI

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28 March 2016

RE: Revocation of the Privileges of Resident Correspondent

Accreditation Accorded to Matthew Lee and Inner City Press

I am responding to your letter of 29 February 20 I 6, which you wrote as counsel

to Inner City Press, as well as to your e-mail message of 24 March 2016, which you wrote
as counsel to both Inner City Press and to Matthew Lee.
As an initial matter, the United Nations has also received a letter from Nick
Kaufman, who claims to be counsel for Matthew Lee. Because it is not clear who is
representing Mr. Lee in this matter, I am providing copies of my responses to you and to
Mr. Kaufman. Accordingly, a copy of my response to Mr. Kaufman is enclosed for your
ease of reference.
In your letter of 29 February 2016, you claim that the United Nations seized the
office of Inner City Press, which Mr. Lee has used since being accorded the privilege of
using space in the Headquarters premises of the United Nations as an accredited resident
correspondent to the United Nations. No such seizure took place. To the contrary, by her
letter of 19 February 2016, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public
Information made clear to Mr. Lee that the United Nations had revoked the privilege
accorded to Mr. Lee of the use of office space as a resident correspondent. Subsequently,
Mr. Lee applied for and was granted non-resident correspondent accreditation to the United
Nations. With such non-resident correspondent accreditation to the United Nations, Mr.
Lee has been able to continue fully carrying out his journalistic activities, without
interference, in reporting in and about the United Nations.Mr. Lee's privilege of using space in the United Nations Headquarters was
accorded to him, as he had acknowledged in writing when applying for the use of such
space, contingent upon his observing the United Nations Media Accreditation Guidelines.
The privilege of the use of such office space was withdrawn after an incident in which
Mr. Lee trespassed in a closed meeting of the United Nations Correspondence Association.
The disturbance and altercation that his behavior caused required the presence of United
Nations Security and Safety Officers to diffuse. Thus, as was made clear in the letter of
19 February 2016 from the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public

Via E-Mail and First Class Mail

UNITED NATIONS

NATIONS UNIES
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Information to Mr. Lee, his behavior did not comport with the express requirements of the
United Nations Media Accreditation Guidelines. These circumstances, consequently,
occasioned the withdrawal of Mr. Lee's resident correspondent accreditation.
Mr. Lee had no right, whether proprietary, contractual or otherwise, to have the
use of space in the Headquarters premises of the United Nations. He paid no rent or other
consideration for the use of such space. His use ofthe space was an accommodation and a
privilege accorded to Mr. Lee and revocable by the United Nations in its sole discretion.
Mr. Lee's belongings remain in the office space untouched. Mr. Lee has been
asked to remove them and remains free to do so. Please advise your client to promptly
gather his belongings from the office space he previously had the privilege to use, failing
which the United Nations will be forced to make arrangements to. package and transmit to
the office address listed on his non-resident media accreditation form:
-
Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457.
With respect to the claims set forth in your letter of 29 February and your e-mail
of 24 March that you intend to seek relief through civil, criminal or other proceedings in the
courts or other forums of the Member States of the United Nations for the withdrawal by
the United Nations of Mr. Lee's resident accreditation privileges, please take notice that the
privileges and immunities of the United Nations are being maintained in this matter.
Sincerely,

,.,..,

Miguel de Serpa Soares

Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs
United Nations Legal Counsel
Copy to:
Ms. C. Gallach
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