Geneva, Gaza, Dhaka : The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC)
deplores the high number of journalists killed in the conflict between
Israel and Hamas, on the occasion of the International Day to End
Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which is held every year on 2
November. The organisation is calling for independent investigations
to shed light on all these war crimes and for the United Nations to
set up a commission of enquiry.
Since the beginning of 2023, a total of 74 journalists worldwide have
been killed in attacks, bombings or targeted assassinations. In
October this year, 36 journalists were killed, 33 of them in
connection with the conflict between Israel and Hamas (28 Palestinians
in Gaza, 4 Israelis and 1 in Lebanon).
“These are clearly war crimes and an unprecedented slaughter of the
media due to the fact that hostilities are taking place in a densely
populated area,” said PEC President Blaise Lempen. “We deeply deplore
all the civilian victims, those deliberately and systematically
murdered by Hamas, as well as the Palestinian victims subjected to
Israeli bombardment”, he added.
According to the PEC’s findings, although Israel warned the civilian
population, including the media, before its bombardments, warning them
to leave the intended targets of its fire, the fire was often not
precise enough to avoid collateral casualties. Buildings housing media
outlets were deliberately targeted, with the aim of silencing the
voice of the Palestinian media.
“Hamas’s crimes are unjustifiable, but Israel’s response is
disproportionate”, said Blaise Lempen. Under international
humanitarian law, all parties must distinguish between combatants and
civilians at all times. Civilians and civilian objects must never be
the target of an attack. Protection measures for journalists were
clearly insufficient to guarantee impartial information on the ground.
Foreign media access has been blocked by Israel to the detriment of
the right to information.
The PEC calls on the belligerents to show the utmost restraint in the
continuation of operations. Duly accredited and identified journalists
must be able to do their work without hindrance or danger. There must
be no impunity. It is essential that independent investigations take
place in order to shed light on these crimes. Their exact
circumstances must be clarified by the relevant UN bodies and those
responsible must be held to account. The PEC calls on the Human Rights
Council to create a commission of enquiry to elucidate the crimes of
all the belligerents in the war that began on 7 October.
PEC’s south Asia representative Nava Thakuria revealed that Bangladesh
has lately witnessed a massive surge of physical attacks on media
persons as the populous country is approaching its next national
election due in January 2024. In a single day protest demonstration
(by its opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Dhaka), over 25
journalists faced unprecedented attack & harassments from both the
government (led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party)
and non-State actors, while covering the rally on 28 October last.
