Geneva - Media & Communication Dept. - November 03
The State of Qatar underlined that journalists should never be a target for violence and killing, stressing on the importance of being capable of carrying out their duties freely and without being exposed to any fear of harassment, intimidation, reprisals or being killed.
In addition, the State of Qatar strongly condemned the intentional assassination of the Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by the Israeli forces who was performing her duty wearing a flak jacket clearly marked with the word "PRESS" which is considered a flagrant violation against the laws and the relevant international conventions.
This came in the statement of the State of Qatar delivered Thursday by HE Permanent Representative of State of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah during a panel discussion that was dedicated to "Honoring the legacy of Shireen Abu Akleh: Protecting journalists covering the conflict" within the two-day Seminar of the United Nations International Media on Peace in Middle East organized by the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).
Her Excellency pointed out that after more than five months have passed since the assassination of the brave journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, however, no international investigation has been conducted to uncover the truth, which poses an additional failure in achieving the justice for the journalists.
Her Excellency emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for the assassination of Abu Akleh accountable, warning that deceleration and lack of seriousness in ensuring an independent and transparent international investigation will have an adverse impact on the protection of journalists, not only in Palestine, but in the entire world, and impunity will be a motive to repeat such crimes in the future without any fear of accountability.
Her Excellency welcomed the submission of the official legal complaint file on the assassination of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, hoping that such complaint will receive a serious interest to be promptly handled, and an opportunity to hold Israel, which is accused of targeting the journalists by its policies, accountable, including those responsible for these violations and crimes.
HE Al Muftah expressed the State of Qatar's full support to the initiative of the State of Palestine in the Arab League by making May,11 a global day for solidarity with the Palestinian media, which marks the commemoration of the assassination of the media martyr Shireen Abu Akleh in expression of the complete solidarity with all Palestinian journalists and media professionals.