JAKARTA – The Indonesian Cyber Media Union (SMSI) strongly condemns the shooting of journalists allegedly carried out by Israeli soldiers in a refugee tent in the Israeli-occupied city of Jenin, the West Bank (West Bank).
The journalist who was shot dead by the Israeli army was Shireen Abu Akleh (51) from Al-Jazeera who was covering the Israeli army attack on the refugee camp in Jenin.
Even though at that time Shireen was wearing a vest that said “PERS” and wearing a helmet. Supposedly, the Israeli army knew he was a journalist on duty.
The Israeli military had denied the accusation of shooting the journalist. Even the Israeli military accused the Palestinians of carrying out the shooting. But the head of Al-Jazeera’s bureau Walid Al-Omary in Ramallah said there were no shootings by gunmen in Palestine.
“It was a major act of terror against journalists. Obviously it was a barbaric act against journalists who served in the public interest. The shooter is clearly against the human rights that protect journalists, and at the same time harassing the press around the world who have just celebrated World Press Freedom Day. We ask the United Nations to pay special attention to the journalist shooting case,” said the General Chair of the Indonesian Cyber Media Union (SMSI) Firdaus, Thursday, May 12, 2022 in a press release responding to the shooting of journalists in the West Bank.
According to Firdaus, what the army did to journalist Shireen was a clear violation of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Article 19 of the UDHR states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.
As reported by Anadolu News Agency, May 11, 2022, Shireen was shot in the face and breathed his last. Another journalist, Ali Al-Samoudi from the Quds newspaper, was shot in the back and required treatment.
Condemnation of the two shootings of journalists has also flowed from the public and the press through various press and social media channels. Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lolwah Alkhater also tweeted about the shooting.
The General Chair of SMSI Firdaus who was accompanied by the Secretary General of SMSI Mohammad Nasir, said that the United Nations must intervene to investigate the journalist shooting case. The shooter must be sanctioned by the competent authorities at the United Nations in order to bring to the attention of the warring parties.
“What hurts the press even more,” said Firdaus, was that the incident took place a week after the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day.
The world press community for three, May 2-5 commemorating World Press Freedom Day which falls on May 3 this year, centered in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
The Commemoration of Press Freedom Day initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Uruguay was marked by online and offline conferences discussing the protection of journalists’ security, digital media and finding solutions to future challenges. The conference was attended by 3,400 registered participants from the press from 86 countries.
World Press Freedom Day is observed every year as a result of the decision of the United Nations General Assembly (UN) in 1993. Its purpose is to celebrate the basic principles of press freedom and to protect journalists around the world.
In addition, to remind all parties to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression in accordance with article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Anang Fadhilah
