Doha, Qatar: On the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the Qatar Press Centre has renewed its call to bring justice to all journalists who lost their lives for telling the truth.
The Centre also confirmed its strong commitment to protect press freedom, support journalists, and hold accountable those responsible for crimes against them without fear or discrimination.
The Centre has noted that this international day is considered a reminder to the world that free speech remains under attack, that truth is often assassinated before it is published, and that perpetrators continue their crimes against the witnesses of truth, believing themselves beyond the reach of justice.
“Today, we remember the faces of those who fell while carrying microphones and cameras as shields for truth. Hundreds of journalists around the world continue to be killed, detained, or abducted in conflict zones, their voices silenced by the power of arms, while the perpetrators remain beyond the reach of justice in the face of a global silence that brings sorrow and fear that impunity may become the rule rather than the exception,” said a statement by QPC.
It added, “At the Qatar Press Centre, we affirm that the protection of journalists is not a choice but a legal and moral obligation upon governments, media institutions, and the international community as a whole in defence of people’s right to knowledge, justice, and human dignity.
“On this day, the Qatar Press Centre calls on governments and international media organizations, including UN bodies, to stand united against impunity for crimes committed against journalists, and to ensure that the blood of journalists is not shed in vain and that their faces are not forgotten amid the chaos of events.
“Measures and actions we intend to take — ensure judicial accountability for all crimes committed against journalists, classify them as crimes that do not expire with time, and consider them crimes against humanity, society, and knowledge; work on launching impartial and transparent international investigations into the crimes of killing, arresting, and abducting journalists, and establish legal and human rights teams to defend journalists who are detained or imprisoned.”
The statement further said, “Others are to establish international mechanisms and standards to guarantee a safe environment for media work, free from threats, intimidation, violence, and restrictive legislation that limits freedom and improve national laws in line with international standards for press freedom and the protection of media professionals, unite international, diplomatic, and political efforts, and show a serious commitment to hold the Israeli government accountable for deliberately targeting journalists’ homes and press offices during two years of the war on Gaza, which has taken the lives of 255 journalists.”
