AHRC Observes World Press Freedom Day, Renews Call For Justice For Shireen Abu Akleh
The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) joins all peace-loving people across the world in observing World Press Freedom Day that falls annually on May 3rd.
This year’s occasion falls amidst a world full of tremendous changes facing media and press outlets and personnel. Several journalists have lost their lives while simply covering events around the world. Many others are detained, imprisoned, or kidnapped. This is not acceptable.
AHRC stresses that journalists, reporters, and press personnel must be equally valued and protected. None should be subject to any form or shape of selective approach and double standard measures. Those who detain or imprison reporters must be held accountable. It is not about ethnicity, origin, faith, race, nationality nor the political authority that determines the approach to address any press person situation. There should not be selective outrage when a media person is abused, harmed, or killed. Media should be off limits for state and nonstate actors.
AHRC salutes all media personnel around the world. The media is in the truth telling business. They write the first version of history. They are indispensable for an informed world. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.
On this occasion, we remind the world that a year ago, on May 11, 2022, Palestinian American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by the Israeli military. She was well known to the Israeli occupation forces since she worked in Palestine for many years. Her outfit clearly identified her as a reporter. Many believe that the Israeli occupation forces assassinated her. The US government announced that it is investigating this killing of Abu Akleh, an American citizen. We urge the Biden administration to not let political expediency determine the outcome of this investigation.
“The media serve an indispensable and vital role," said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “We call for legal, political and moral consistency in dealing with all situations where the media people are mistreated, imprisoned or killed,” added Hamad.