Najnovije ubojstvo novinara u Iraku potièe nova pitanja o postupcima SAD

30.01.2006.

Media Release                                                                          27January 2006

New Iraqi Killing Sparks Fresh Questions OverUS Actions

 

The International Federation of Journalists today called on theUnited Statesmilitary toimmediately investigate the killing of an Iraqi television correspondent duringclashes betweenU.S.forces and Sunni rebels inRamadi.

 

On 24 January, Mahmoud Za'al, 35, a cameraman and reporter for theIraqi television station Baghdad TV was shot in the insurgent stronghold ofRamadi, while working on a social documentary.According to local reports, Za’al was allegedlyshot in a cross-fire between US forces and insurgents and his dead body washurried to the forensic unit inBaghdadhospital by the securityservices.

 

“TheUSforces must confirm their role inour colleague’s killing and investigate immediately any possibility of themilitary’s responsibility in his death,” said Aidan White, IFJ GeneralSecretary. “If not allegations of recklessness and indifference on the part oftheUSmilitary will continue”.

 

According to Ahmad Rushdi, the director of theBaghdad TV news department, Mahmood had been detained by US forces earlier thisweek and the TV channel immediately called for theUSembassy toreact. The embassy contacted Rushdi and told him that Za’al would be released onWednesday, as they agreed a time and a venue for his release. Rushdi said thathe was subsequently “shocked to hear the news of Za’al’s death onTuesday.”

 

Mahmoud was the fifth Baghdad TV staff to bedetained by theUSforces. He was with a colleagueand they both went their separate ways in the Ramadi district, shooting imagesfor a social documentary covering the devastating impact of car bombs on thestate of the roads, shops, electricity and water supplies in Ramadi. Za’al wasin an area that was already circled with US soldiers. He had his press ID on himand was carrying his camera.

 

The IFJ is supporting an initiative fromBaghdad TV, which is campaigning for an end to impunity and the killings ofjournalists and media staff inIraq. The local campaign will beinitiated in an investigative report to be broadcast thisevening.

 

“With 19 journalists and media staff killed inIraq involving US forces and several more cases of illegal detentions, the USmilitary must now provide credible answers to the serious questions raised ineach of these cases,” said White. “Already two Iraqi journalists have beenkilled this year and the evidence is that 2006 is going to be another year ofmurder and sacrifice for media inIraq”.

 

TheIFJ plans to organise worldwide protests on 8 April this year to highlightdemands for more action against impunity. This day is the anniversary of theUSattack three years ago onthe Palestine Hotel, a media centre inBaghdad, in which two journalists, TarasProtsyuk of Reuters and José Couso of the Spanish network Telecinco, werekilled. Another reporter, Tareq Ayyoub, died on the same day when theUSbombed the offices of Al Jazeerain the city.

 

For further informationcontact: +32 2 235 22 07
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110countries

 

Povratak