Richard Gizbert, a Canadian-born journalist let go by ABC News after he refused assignments to Iraq, has won his wrongful dismissal case.

An excerpt from the BBC story:

Mr Gizbert had been a member of staff at ABC for 11 years but left to freelance in 2002.

The tribunal heard he had previously reported from Bosnia and Chechnya, but no longer wanted to undertake long trips because of family commitments.

ABC denied reports it had applied pressure on him to go to Iraq.

It said his lack of flexibility and the cost of employing him at £560 a day had led to him being axed in 2004. ABC's London bureau chief, Marcus Wilford, said Mr Gizbert had been "an average, not an outstanding correspondent".

This is an important principle for us. Assignments to war zones are, always have been and always will be voluntary Jeffrey Schneider, vice-president of ABC News

But the panel ruled his unfair dismissal was "for an issue related to health and safety".

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the UK's National Union of Journalists, said: "This is a hugely important decision for journalists.

"It reinforces their right to act both on their conscience, and to act to safeguard their health and safety. This judgement will be welcomed by journalists, their friends and families everywhere."

Here's a related story: The difficult game of war reporting