8 journalists killed in February Stepping up the number of casualties in 2008 to 15 : A new dimension in attacks against journalists

PEC Monthly Report

GENEVA, February 29 (PEC) – The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) noted with alarm the new dimension of targeting journalists during February 2008.

The PEC, in a statement issued today, marking its monthly report on press casualties in the second month of the year, calls upon the Human Rights Council (HRC) to move ahead with the issue of finding appropriate ways and means for the protection of journalists. The HRC will meet Monday in Geneva for a 4 weeks session.

The Geneva based NGO has launched a global consultation process in December 2007 on a draft convention and reminds UN member states to respond to the draft in an attempt to gear efforts to reinforce International Humanitarian Law.

According to the PEC ticking clock, eight journalists were killed during February in 5 countries: three in Mexico, one in Pakistan, one in Columbia, two in Iraq and a woman journalist in Uganda.

If there are no apparent reasons for those killings in Mexico, the reasons for other killings are clear which is the direct targeting of journalists.

A new dimension is added to the issue. The brutal killing of Ugandan 32 year-old journalist Rebecca Wilbrod Kasujja involved also rape, a deadly new dimension in attacks against journalists.

On Wednesday the President of the Iraqi Syndicate of Journalists (ISJ) Shehab El Tamimi died from deadly wounds following a gun attack on his car on Saturday 23 February 2008.

The attack and subsequent death of El Tamimi is an attack on a symbol, the highest ranking journalist in Iraq and the representative of its journalists.

In an earlier development a CBS correspondent was kidnapped in Basrah and up to date there is no indication of his whereabouts.

Since the beginning of the year 15 journalists were killed, a number equal to that of the same period in 2007, and journalists from 11 countries were targeted to death.

The PEC is also worried by the ongoing deterioration in Sri Lanka, Burma, the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), Nepal, Somalia and Afghanistan.

In 2007 a record number of journalists were killed, 115, while carrying out their work.

For more info please consult the PEC Media Ticking Clock : www.pressemblem.ch