World’s press condemns killing of Amal Khalil, demands justice
Our Lebanese colleague Amal Khalil was a member of the 2016 Women In News Leadership Accelerator programme, the first in the MENA region. She was killed following an Israeli airstrike on 22 April. Multiple reports indicated shelling and direct fire prevented emergency teams from reaching her.
Obstructing rescue operations constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, a war crime. A full, transparent investigation is needed to understand what happened and to bring those responsible to justice.
Dear Prime Minister,
I am writing regarding the killing of Amal Khalil on April 22, who died because of an Israeli strike that targeted the house where she had taken shelter in southern Lebanon. Reports indicate that rescue teams were unable to reach her, as access to the area was denied.
10 years ago, Amal was part of the first cohort of WAN-IFRA’s Women In News Leadership Accelerator Programme in Lebanon and the Arab Region.
She was the future of our industry, a quiet leader determined to bring brighter prospects to the region and the wider world. Amal was a pioneer, a woman journalist shaping the beginnings of our community in the region and, of course, her loss is felt keenly.
Reporting under threat has become part of the job description for journalists like Amal. But the circumstances of her death are unsettling in the extreme.
I am writing to you directly to ask that a formal investigation take place into two specific moments in Amal’s life. One was the well documented threat to her life that came from an Israeli phone number. The second is the circumstances that led to her injuries, the failure to grant medical help, and finally her death.
The loss of Amal is of immense importance to anyone who cares about free speech.
May 3 is World Press Freedom Day, which highlights the importance of journalism and the importance of journalists’ safety. We are armed only with camera and pen. We want to tell all stories unobstructed, including the story of Gaza.
Please let me know what you can do about finding the answers. The loss and grief have no expiry date. And please reassure the global editor community that no journalist will be targeted simply for doing their job.
Sincerely
David Walmsley
President, World Editors Forum
WAN-IFRA
