Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) condemns in the strongest possible terms the killing of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh at the hands of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) despite wearing a jacket marked “PRESS.”
Al Jazeera’s journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering Israeli raids into Jenin city in the West Bank, early Wednesday.
The Palestinian health ministry has announced her death after being hit by a bullet to the head.
Another Palestinian journalist was also shot by a live bullet in the back, the health ministry added
This is not the first incident where journalists are deliberately targeted by the Israeli occupation fire. Figures show an increase in the Israeli targeting of reporters and media institutions in the occupied territories.
AOHR UK views Israeli occupation’s unjustified targeting of journalists while conducting their sacred duty to inform the world and report events on the ground as clear act to cover up its daily crimes and human rights violations.
Targeting journalists is a blatant violation of human rights and is internationally considered a war crime that only aims to silence the truth.
AOHR UK calls on all media and human right institutions topped by the Human Rights Council to join efforts in denouncing these ruthless targeting of journalists and to hold the Israeli government accountable for deliberately targeting journalists.
AOHR UK calls on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to enable an effective and independent investigation into the killing of Abu Akleh and the injury of the other journalist, and recalls the years of impunity for serious international law violations that resulted in more heinous crimes.
AOHR UK also reiterates its call on the international community to take immediate and effective action to enable the protection of journalists and media institutions during time of war or armed conflict.
