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A panel of United Nations human rights consultants have condemned the killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh and mentioned it could represent a warfare crime.
In a information launch printed on Friday, the UN’s Human Rights Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner (OHCHR) referred to as for an intensive and impartial investigation into her dying.
“Authorities have an obligation to not hurt journalists and to guard them from hurt beneath worldwide humanitarian regulation and worldwide human rights regulation,” the consultants mentioned based on the assertion. “The killing of Abu Akleh, who was clearly performing her duties as a journalist, could represent a warfare crime.”
Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter with Al Jazeera, was killed on Wednesday whereas overlaying an Israeli military raid within the occupied West Financial institution metropolis of Jenin. She was sporting a helmet and a vest that clearly recognized her as a journalist.
“We demand a immediate, impartial, neutral, efficient, thorough and clear investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh,” based on the assertion.
“The killing of Abu Akleh is one other severe assault on media freedom and freedom of expression, amid the escalation of violence within the occupied West Financial institution.”
Hundreds of individuals jammed the streets in her hometown of Jerusalem Friday for her funeral and burial. Israeli police kicked and beat mourners with batons as they carried her physique from the hospital in occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, almost inflicting the pallbearers to drop the coffin.
Israeli forces additionally attacked the hearse because it carried her physique, to grab Palestinian flags from it.
“Al Jazeera Media Community denounces this violence within the strongest phrases, and holds the Israeli authorities totally accountable for the security and safety of all of the mourners and the household of our colleague Shireen,” the broadcaster mentioned in a press release Friday.
Abu Akleh was buried subsequent to her dad and mom on the Mount Zion Protestant Cemetery.
The UN consultants mentioned Abu Akleh’s killing got here as violence has been on the rise within the occupied West Financial institution and Gaza lately. Final yr, based on the assertion, marked the very best variety of Palestinian deaths ensuing from confrontations with Israelis since 2014. It additionally got here amid a excessive fee of assaults in opposition to Palestinian journalists.
A minimum of Palestinian journalists have been killed since 2000, and a whole lot extra have been injured.
“The function of journalists, particularly in a context of heightened stress and marked by steady abuses, just like the occupied Palestinian territory, is important,” the consultants mentioned.
“Lack of accountability offers carte blanche to proceed the litany of extrajudicial executions. The protection of journalists is important in guaranteeing the liberty of expression and media freedom.”
The Israeli navy mentioned its preliminary investigation into Abu Akleh’s dying confirmed {that a} heavy firefight was beneath method in Jenin roughly 200 metres (about 220 yards) from the place she was killed, however that it was unable to find out whether or not she was shot by Israeli forces or Palestinian fighters.
In a press release issued Friday, the navy mentioned Palestinian gunmen recklessly fired a whole lot of rounds at an Israeli navy car, some within the course of the place Abu Akleh was standing. It mentioned Israeli forces returned hearth, and that with out doing ballistic evaluation, it can not decide who was accountable for her dying.
Reporters who have been with Abu Akleh, together with one who was shot and wounded, mentioned there have been no clashes or fighters within the fast space when she was killed.
Al Jazeera has accused Israel of “blatant homicide” and have referred to as for an impartial investigation into her dying.
Rights teams have mentioned that Israel not often follows by way of on investigations into the killing of Palestinians by its safety forces and arms down lenient punishments on the uncommon events when it does.
Abu Akleh, 51, had joined Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language service in 1997 and rose to prominence overlaying the second Intifada, or rebellion, within the early 2000s.
