Three journalists were killed on Saturday in a strike that targeted their car in the region of Jezzine, in southern Lebanon. The targeting of journalists is a war crime, emphasized Anne Bocandé, editorial director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The journalists killed were Ali Shoeib, a long-time war correspondent for Al-Manar, whom the Israeli army claims was a member of the elite Hezbollah force operating under the cover of a journalist. Also killed were the journalist Fatima Ftouni from Al-Mayadeen, a channel close to Hezbollah, and her brother, the cameraman Mohammed Ftouni.
Since early March, the conditions for journalists in Lebanon have been increasingly difficult, with several journalists being injured or facing accessibility issues. Five journalists have already been killed in Lebanon since 2023, according to RSF. Bocandé expressed concern that the region may become an impossible place for journalists, leading to an information blackout. She highlighted restrictions on press coverage in regions like Gaza and Cisjordan, as well as the challenges faced by journalists in Iran and the Gulf countries. RSF is sounding the alarm on the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones.
Bocandé also mentioned that RSF has filed seven complaints with the International Criminal Court regarding cases of journalists killed by the Israeli army. The situation underscores the risks and challenges faced by journalists working in conflict zones, where crimes can be committed with impunity and access to information is limited.
/2019/12/17/phpAUWvry.jpg&description=Targeting+journalists+is+a+war+crime%2C+recalls+RSF%2C+after+the+deaths+of+three+Lebanese+journalists){kind=link}