International non-governmental organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and victims’ families this Wednesday called on the UN to conduct an independent investigation into Israeli attacks that killed and injured journalists in southern Lebanon in 2023.
In a letter addressed to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the signatories express concern that “Israeli forces appear to be deliberately targeting journalists and media professionals in Lebanon.”
The signatories are calling for an independent investigation by experts appointed by the High Commission to “identify those responsible” for the attacks that injured or killed journalists.
Signatories include RSF, Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Al Jazeera, and Arab and Lebanese media.
The letter is also signed by the family of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed in a bombing in southern Lebanon on October 13, 2023, and two AFP journalists, Dylan Collins and Christina Assi, injured in the same attack.
In the second letter, addressed to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, the signatories call on her to demand accountability for the “egregious war crimes committed by Israel in southern Lebanon” against nine journalists.
Since the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement began on October 7, the Lebanese group Hezbollah has daily attacked Israeli military positions in support of its Palestinian ally.
Israel carried out attacks in response.
A French AFP investigation published in December into the Oct. 13 explosion that killed Issam Abdallah and wounded six reporters pointed to a shell fired by an Israeli tank.
According to Lebanese media reports, on November 21, Al-Mayadeen journalists Farah Omar and Rabih Maamari were killed in Israeli attacks.
After the October 13 attack, the Israeli army said the area where the journalists were was an “active combat zone.”
France’s Foreign Ministry called for “full light to be shed” on the attack, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was important to conduct a thorough investigation.
At least 284 people have been killed in Lebanon since October 7, mostly Hezbollah and allied groups, as well as 44 civilians, according to AFP.
According to the army, 10 soldiers and six civilians were killed on the Israeli side.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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