The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, journalists and media executives, today urged the Israeli government to ensure that the investigation into the killing of Palestinian journalist Yaser Murtaja is impartial and those responsible for shooting the journalist be prosecuted.

Murtaja was shot while covering a demonstration in Gaza on Friday, March 6, and succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. According to reports, Murtaja, who worked as a freelancer for the BBC, was shot in the abdomen by a sniper of the Israel Defence Force (IDF) even though he was a wearing a jacket with “Press” inscribed on it to identify himself as a journalist.

Several other journalists were wounded in the incident. The Israeli government has reportedly ordered an investigation into the killing of Murtaja and other civilians during the demonstration.

“The shooting to death of Yaser Murtaja while performing his professional journalistic duty with a clearly marked vest was not an isolated incident”, Daoud Kuttab, a member of IPI’s Executive Board and the director general of Community Media Network in Jordan, said. “Seven other journalists were also wounded with live ammunition as they were carrying out their work. This crime should be investigated by an independent body and action should be taken against those responsible for the death of Murtaja.”

He added: “Concrete steps should be taken to protect Palestinian journalists while they are on duty.”

According to IPI’s Death Watch, which tracks journalists killed in the line of duty, as many as nine journalists have been killed in Palestine in the last six years. All these journalists were either killed in artillery fire or shot while on assignment. In most cases no investigations have been conducted and as a result no one has been charged with these killings.

“We urge the government to set an example by investigating the killing of Murtaja and charging those responsible for the reprehensible act”, IPI Head of Advocacy Ravi R. Prasad said. “It is unacceptable that journalists are being targeted for doing their duty.”

Founded in 1950, IPI is a membership-based organization that works to promote the conditions that allow journalism to fulfil its public function, the most important of which is the media’s ability to operate free from interference and without fear of retaliation.