As the U.N. this week celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Press Institute (IPI) is organizing an event in Geneva to highlight the need for urgent action by states to ensure journalists’ safety in accordance with international human rights obligations and commitments.
This action is urgently needed in light of the unprecedented and unacceptable dangers and risks journalists are facing covering the Israel-Gaza War. At least 60 journalists have been killed since the start of hostilities on October 7 – the highest documented death toll for journalists in this short span of time in any modern war or armed conflict on record. A vast majority of these journalists have been killed by Israeli airstrikes and raids on Gaza.
These killings have put a spotlight on the critical need for states to respect the rules of war and to uphold their obligations to ensure the safety of journalists, as civilians, in accordance with international human rights law and humanitarian law. According to these rules, deliberate attacks against journalists and media infrastructure during a situation of armed conflict constitute a war crime and must be investigated as such.
Register here to attend the event in person
Speakers:
- Frane Maroević, Executive Director, International Press Institute (IPI)
- Antoine Bernard, Director of Advocacy and Strategic Litigation, Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
- Carmen Joukhadar, Journalist & reporter, Al Jazeera
- Tom Gibson, EU Representative, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
- Rawan Damen, Director General, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism
Organized by the International Press Institute and the Al Jazeera Center for Public Liberties and Human Rights.
- Photo: The equipment of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed by Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, on display during a press conference held by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on December 7, 2023. (EPA-EFE/WAEL HAMZEH)