The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights: A new attack on press freedom, and the OHCHR is required to publicly and clearly condemn the crimes of the occupying entity

While we strongly condemn the crimes of the Israeli occupation entity that have been ongoing for 46 days – including which occurred today in southern #Lebanon and resulted in the killing of 2 journalists from Al-Mayadeen Channel (Farah Omar - Rabei Al-Maamari) and a civilian in hostile bombing on the Tayr Harfa-Al-Jibbayn triangle, in addition to the killing of a Lebanese citizen (Laeqa Sarhan, 80 years old) as a result of targeting her home in the town of Kfarkela – we affirm that the killing of journalists by the Israeli occupation forces is deliberate and systematic targeting. In fact, the latter has sought, since the beginning of its heinous violations in Gaza, to kill journalists by systematically targeting them and their workplaces in an effort to impose a broad media blackout on the entire sector.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is required to publicly and clearly condemn the crimes of the occupying entity against journalists and civilians.

This targeting was also preceded by an Israeli bombing targeting press crews in Yaroun, southern Lebanon, on November 13, even though the journalists were wearing press jackets and helmets during their press coverage and had informed the relevant authorities of their location. Moreover, on October 13, 2023, the Israeli occupation forces killed Reuters’ cameraman, Issam Abdullah, after an Israeli bombing targeted a group of journalists in Alma al-Shaab, southern Lebanon. The Israeli occupation forces also directly targeted the Al Jazeera crew’s car, which resulted in burning it completely and wounding journalists Carmen Joukhadar and Eli Brakhya.

These violations constitute a serious and flagrant violation of human rights, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protect the right to life and to physical integrity, guarantee the freedom of the press and the media, and prohibit the interference with them or the obstruction of their work. International humanitarian law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention, and Article 79 of the Additional Protocol to the 1949 Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians during Military Conflicts, also strengthen the protection of journalists, considering them civilians, which is decisively confirmed by UN Security Council Resolution No. 1738.

Bahrain Forum for Human Rights
11/21/2023