The Secretary-General of the Organisation of Educational Cooperation (OEC), H.E. Manssour Bin Mussallam, condemns the killing this Wednesday in Jenin, State of Palestine, by Israeli security forces of the Palestinian journalist for Al Jazeera, Shireen Abu Akleh, and demands an immediate, impartial and transparent international investigation guaranteeing that the culprits do not go unpunished.
The Secretary-General stresses in the strongest terms that the killing of a clearly identified media professional in a conflict zone constitutes a blatant violation of international law, norms and related standards on media freedom – reiterating that without the protection of those who carry out their duties to protect the voice of the oppressed and give a voice to the voiceless, it is not possible to forge a better, fairer and more equitable future, nor to achieve a third alternative, sustainable and inclusive way development for the peoples of the world.
As the crime of silencing the truth is once again committed, the Secretary-General expresses his most sincere condolences to the Peoople and the Government of the State of Palestine, a Member State of the OCE, and conveys his solidarity and friendship to the family of Shireen Abu Akleh in their mourning.
PDF version of the statement
