- Lament that ‘These abuses are grave’
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) has condemned what it described as the “relentless killing and abuses” of journalists and media workers in Gaza by the Israeli Military.
FAJ said in a statement on Friday that it was horrified by the scale of attacks allegedly carried out by Israeli forces, lamenting that over 221 Palestinian journalists and media workers have so far been killed in the ongoing conflict.
In the statement, the organization, which is a regional arm of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), said, “We mourn our fallen colleagues, we recognise the trauma carried by victim journalists and we send our heartfelt solidarity to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), whose members continue to report in fear and grief.”
Further decrying what it called a “pattern of violations with few parallels in recent history,” FAJ alleged that journalists have been killed either while on duty or at home with their families.
It also noted that media offices, radio stations and press vehicles had been struck, while others had been denied medical care, detained incommunicado or forced to work without protective equipment.
According to the regional body, “These abuses are grave breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law.
“Israeli forces must protect journalists and other civilians, refrain from targeting the media and take active steps to prevent further harm.”
The organisation maintained that every attack on a journalist must be subject to “a full, independent and public investigation that leads to prosecutions of those responsible.”
Also, FAJ demanded the release of detained journalists and urgent measures to guarantee safe reporting conditions, including protective equipment, evacuation arrangements and stable communications.
Importantly, while reaffirming its solidarity with the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS), which still has about 800 members in Gaza, FAJ pledged to continue amplifying the voices of Palestinian journalists across the globe.
In soliciting support for the IFJ’s International Safety Fund, which provides assistance to journalists affected by the conflict, FAJ said, “To governments, continental organisations, regional bodies and UN agencies, our message is clear: act now to protect Palestinian journalists, safeguard media infrastructure and uphold the public’s right to know.
“Facilitate access for independent media and humanitarian actors. Ensure that investigations lead to justice, not closed files.”
The Journalism body also challenged states to adopt a new international convention on the protection of journalists, as proposed by the IFJ, to deliver binding guarantees for their safety and independence.
Declaratively, FAJ said, “African journalists will not look away. And we urge the world not to look away either.”
