Havana Times

News Outlets Express Solidarity with Journalists in Gaza

Agence France-Presse employees hold portraits in support of AFP joiurnalists working in Gaza at a January 17 gathering on the balconies and in front of windows at the agency’s headquarters on Paris. (Photo: AFP/Bertrand Guay)

By Committee to Protect Journalists

HAVANA TIMES – The leaders of more than 30 news organizations from across the world, including the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters, have joined an open letter affirming their solidarity with journalists reporting in Gaza.

The letter, coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the support of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), demonstrates strong and unified support for colleagues reporting from Gaza in the deadliest conflict for journalists ever documented by CPJ.

“For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions,” the letter reads. “…These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk.”

The letter goes on to remind the international community that journalists are civilians and authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants according to international law. 

A total of at least 94 journalists have been killed in the Israel-Gaza war; the majority of them (89) were Palestinians killed by the Israeli military.  

The signatories include outlets from Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, India, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Additional signatories are welcome. Please contact [email protected] to add your organization, including name of signatory, title, and name of organization.
 

Open letter on journalists in Gaza

We, the undersigned, stand united with Palestinian journalists in their call for safety, protection, and the freedom to report.

For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions: at least 89 have been killed in the war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more journalists than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year.

These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk. They continue despite the loss of family, friends, and colleagues, the destruction of homes and offices, constant displacement, communications blackouts, and shortages of food and fuel.

Journalists are civilians and Israeli authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants according to international law. Those responsible for any violations of that longstanding protection should be held accountable. Attacks on journalists are also attacks on truth. We commit to championing the safety of journalists in Gaza, which is fundamental for the protection of press freedom everywhere.


Signatories

  1. Kim Godwin, President, ABC NEWS
  2. Phil Chetwynd, Global News Director, Agence France-Presse
  3. Hossam Kanafani, Editor in Chief, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed
  4. Shiro Nakamura, President, The Asahi Shimbun, Japan
  5. Julie Pace, Executive Editor, Associated Press
  6. Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive, Association for International Broadcasters
  7. Deborah Turness, CEO, BBC News
  8. Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide
  9. Daoud Kuttab, Director General, Community Media Network, Jordan
  10. Branko Brkic, Editor in Chief, Daily Maverick, South Africa
  11. Alia Ibrahim, Co-founder / CEO, Daraj, Lebanon
  12. Roula Khalaf, Editor, Financial Times
  13. Katharine Viner, Editor in Chief, The Guardian
  14. Aluf Benn, Editor in Chief, Haaretz
  15. Geordie Grieg, Editor in Chief, The Independent
  16. Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, Chairperson, Inquirer Group of Companies, The Philippines
  17. Deirdre Veldon, Managing Director, former Deputy Editor, The Irish Times, Ireland
  18. Rachel Corp, Chief Executive, ITN UK
  19. Andrew Dagnell, Editor, ITV News UK
  20. Terry Tang, Interim Executive Editor, Los Angeles Times
  21. Rameeza Nizami, Managing Director, Nawaiwaqt Group, Pakistan
  22. Pamella Sittoni, Group Managing Editor, Nation Media Group, Kenya
  23. Rebecca Blumenstein, President, Editorial, NBC News
  24. David Remnick, Editor, The New Yorker
  25. AG Sulzberger, Publisher, The New York Times
  26. Martha Ramos, President, World Editors Forum / Chief Editorial Officer, Organización Editorial Mexicana, Mexico
  27. Hans Väre, Editor in Chief, Postimees Grupp, Estonia
  28. Alan Rusbridger, Editor, Prospect magazine, UK
  29. Ritu Kapur, CEO, The Quint, India
  30. Maria Ressa, CEO and Co-Founder, Rappler Inc.
  31. Alessandra Galloni, Editor in Chief, Reuters
  32. Nwabisa Makunga, Editor in Chief, The Sowetan, South Africa
  33. Dirk Kurbjuweit, Editor in Chief, Der Spiegel
  34. Wolfgang Krach, Editor in Chief, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany
  35. Sally Buzbee, Executive Editor, The Washington Post
  36. Vincent Peyrègne, CEO, World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)


About the Committee to Protect Journalists The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

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