Human Rights Solidarity condemns targeting Journalists

Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) expresses its outrage at the assassination of Ali Hassan al Jaber, a cameraman working for al Jazeera Channel, who was killed in an ambush near the city of Benghazi. HRS extends its condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased, his colleagues and friends.

The assassination of al Jaber is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a vicious campaign targeting journalists of international media teams. Last week, a team of 3 journalists of the BBC ⁽¹⁾ were arrested and subjected to inhumane and violent treatment at the hands of the security forces of the Qaddafi regime. Friday, 11^th March, a CNN team was abducted in the district of Tajura, east of Tripoli.

Mr.Robertson, reported ⁽²⁾ the horrific experience at the hands of the security forces, brief abduction but was terrorizing. The German TV channel ZDF, in an email to Press Solidarity ⁽³⁾, reported its decision to withdraw its journalist because of fears of safety.

According to a report by the Committee for Protecting Journalists ⁽⁴⁾, seven journalists are missing; no information of their whereabouts or their wellbeing is available.

HRS condemns these acts and holds the Qaddafi regime directly responsible for orchestrating this vicious campaign, calls on the International community to demand immediate end to this criminal campaign and release the abducted journalists.

Human Rights Solidarity
Geneva

Footnote:

1. BBC team abducted by the security forces of the Qaddafi regime, http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/09/libya.bbc.journalists/index.html

2.CNN team abducted by the security forces of the Qaddafi regime, http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/11/gadhafi-thugs-grab-cnn-crew/?iref=allsearch

3.Press Solidarity is an affiliate of Human Rights Solidarity, setup at the onset of the uprising in Libya.

4.Report by the Committee for Protecting Journalists, http://www.cpj.org/2011/03/in-libya-al-jazeera-journalist-killed-and-another.php