Rights groups urge US to ‘pursue accountability’ for journalists killed in Gaza

Rights groups urge US to ‘pursue accountability’ for journalists killed in Gaza
The six organizations said the killing of journalists, whether deliberately or as a result of recklessness, 'is a war crime.' (AFP/File)
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Updated 11 January 2024
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Rights groups urge US to ‘pursue accountability’ for journalists killed in Gaza

Rights groups urge US to ‘pursue accountability’ for journalists killed in Gaza
  • 6 groups send letter to President Joe Biden calling on him to ‘ensure that all parties to the conflict abide by international law’ and to ‘do more to protect press freedom’
  • They say 75 of 79 journalists who have died in fighting between the Israeli military and Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups were killed by members of the Israel Defense Forces

LONDON: Six human rights organizations and press-freedom groups have called on authorities in the US, in its role as one of Israel’s strongest and most influential allies, to “pursue accountability” for the journalists killed during the ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip.

In a letter sent to President Joe Biden on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, the Freedom of Press Foundation, the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, and Reporters Without Borders urged his administration to “ensure that all parties to the conflict abide by international law” and to “do more to protect press freedom.”

They said that 75 of 79 journalists and media workers who lost their lives in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel during the ongoing fighting between the Israeli military and Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups were killed by members of the Israel Defense Forces.

Israel launched its assault on Gaza in retaliation for the surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 during which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and 240 were taken hostage. Israel’s air and land campaign in the Gaza Strip has so far killed more than 23,000 people, at least 10,000 of whom were children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.

The letter from the rights groups noted that though the US has denied there is any evidence that Israel is deliberately targeting journalists, “credible reports” by human rights and media organizations suggest that IDF strikes in southern Lebanon on Oct. 13, which killed one journalist and injured six others, “were unlawful and apparently deliberate.” Moreover, the Israeli military acknowledged targeting a car in which journalists were traveling on Jan. 7, and at least two journalists in Gaza reported that they were threatened by Israeli officials before members of their families were killed.

Highlighting what they described as Israel’s “longstanding pattern of impunity in the killings of journalists,” the writers of the letter called on Biden to support investigations into the killings of all journalists by Israeli forces, including that of Al-Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022.

The six organizations said the killing of journalists, whether deliberately or as a result of recklessness, “is a war crime” and the International Criminal Court “will investigate reports of war crimes committed against journalists in Gaza.”

They also demanded that the right of journalists to report on the hostilities be fully respected, that Egypt and Israel grant international media access to the Gaza Strip, and that the US “conducts thorough, transparent, and public assessments of the end use of US weapons and military assistance to Israel in the course of the hostilities.”


Arab News Japan honored with Chief of Mission Award by Japan Consulate in Dubai

Arab News Japan honored with Chief of Mission Award by Japan Consulate in Dubai
Updated 13 November 2024
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Arab News Japan honored with Chief of Mission Award by Japan Consulate in Dubai

Arab News Japan honored with Chief of Mission Award by Japan Consulate in Dubai
  • Speaking specifically about Arab News Japan, the Consul-General commended the platform for its work

DUBAI: The consul general of Japan in Dubai, Jun Imanishi, recently hosted a Chief of Mission Award ceremony, during which Arab News Japan was recognized for its efforts in strengthening ties between Japan and the UAE.

The ceremony, held at the consul’s residence, highlighted Arab News Japan’s role in bridging cultural and business relationships between the Gulf Cooperation Council region and Japan.

Imanishi explained that the Chief of Mission Award is granted to individuals and organizations that contribute to fostering mutual understanding and friendship between Japan, the UAE, and Dubai.

Others honored included Yamanote Atelier founder Sheikh Suhail Al-Maktoum and freelance journalist Amin Abbas. 

The consul general said his motto regarding diplomacy is that it is all about people-to-people relations. “People need to support each other.”

He continued by acknowledging the collective efforts that contributed to strengthening bilateral ties: “Sheikh Suhail, the Yamanote supporting team, the raw material supplier in Japan, Amin (Abbas), the Arab News team, editors, interpreters, and many others have been involved in raising the level of relations between Japan, the UAE, and Dubai.” 

Speaking specifically about Arab News Japan, the consul general commended the platform for its work: “It has shown and brought the region closer to Japan in terms of mutual understanding. 

“We sincerely hope that Yamanote, through people’s stomachs, and Arab News Japan, through words and photos on social media, will contribute to build the bridge between our two countries,” he said. 

During the ceremony, Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas expressed gratitude for the honor bestowed by the consul general. “Our mission is to bridge the gap between the Middle East and the Far East,” Abbas said. 

“In all our international editions, be it in our Japanese edition, in our Pakistan edition, in our French edition and hopefully in our upcoming editions, we make sure it is not merely translation; we make sure that we adopt part of the culture and look for that cultural aspect that brings us together,” Abbas told guests. 

He said that while the region is currently going through conflict, it is important to remember Japan. 

“Japan is inspirational, because we should not forget that not a long time ago, this country was completely destroyed after the Second World War, yet look where it is today,” he said. “If I would like to leave you with one thought it’s that the night is darkest just before the dawn, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“If we look at Japan, we should be very inspired and hope to rebuild our region to be like Japan,” he added. 

Abbas also acknowledged the contributions of Arab News Japan’s regional head, Ali Itani, for his efforts in developing the news platform.

“The team and I are humbled to be recognized for our role in bringing Japan and the Arab world closer through direct communication,” Itani said.


IMI media group rebrands with new name, logo and strategic shift

IMI media group rebrands with new name, logo and strategic shift
Updated 12 November 2024
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IMI media group rebrands with new name, logo and strategic shift

IMI media group rebrands with new name, logo and strategic shift
  • Group CEO Rani R. Raad says rebranding is a ‘monumental milestone’

LONDON: The media group formerly known as International Media Investments has rebranded itself as “IMI” as part of an ongoing overhaul that includes a new logo and a refocused brand identity, the company announced on Tuesday.

The UAE-based company, which owns news outlets including Sky News Arabia, The National, Al-Ain News, and CNN Business Arabic, said the rebranding reflects its commitment to “connect people, enrich lives, and foster greater understanding.”

The media conglomerate, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation, also operates IMI Studios and IMI Live, as well as an investment division, IMI Ventures.

IMI’s CEO Rani R. Raad, who is also president and operating partner of Redbird IMI, described the rebranding as a “monumental milestone” that aligns with its broader ambitions in media.

“It is not just about aesthetics; it embodies a forward-looking mindset as we prepare to move to our new state-of-the-art headquarters on Yas Island,” he said.

The media group said that its rebranding highlights the “power of connection,” aiming to reinforce IMI’s “commitment to creating content and telling stories that connect people, enrich lives, and foster greater understanding”.

The company added that the new logo encapsulates IMI’s expanding portfolio and more accurately reflects “IMI’s long-term goal of reshaping the media landscape to bridge gaps.”

IMI, which is associated with Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, has been in the headlines recently over its December 2023 acquisition of the UK’s Telegraph Group, including The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator.

However, the British government blocked the purchase, citing a law restricting media ownership by interests linked to foreign governments. IMI was subsequently required to divest the assets.


Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation

Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation
Updated 11 November 2024
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Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation

Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation
  • Hamid Mahdaoui was also fined $150,000 for allegedly defaming the justice minister

RABAT: Moroccan journalist Hamid Mahdaoui said he was sentenced on Monday to 18 months in prison on a charge of defamation against justice minister Abdellatif Ouahbi.
Mahdaoui, who is also editor-in-chief of news website Badil.info and an outspoken critic of government policies, was also fined 1.5 million dirhams ($150,000) by the court of first instance in Rabat.
Mahdaoui was sued after he accused Ouahbi of fraud, among other allegations, in a video on his website. Ouahbi has denied the accusations.
“I am innocent … I did not expect this prison sentence,” Mahdaoui told Reuters, adding that he was still undecided whether to appeal against the verdict to a higher court.
“I already presented all my arguments in my defense at court,” he said.
The justice minister was not immediately available for comment after the verdict.
Mahdaoui was sentenced under the penal code, instead of the press code which does not include jail terms, said Khadija Riadi of the Moroccan human rights group AMDH.
Mahdaoui was released in July 2020, after spending three years in jail on the charge of not reporting a crime against state security.


Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize

Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize
Updated 11 November 2024
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Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize

Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize
  • Dawit Isaak has been held incommunicado without charge in Eritrea for more than 23 years

STOCKHOLM: A Swedish-Eritrean journalist held incommunicado without charge in Eritrea for more than 23 years won a Swedish rights prize on Monday for his fight for freedom of expression, the jury said.
Dawit Isaak was among a group of around two dozen people, including senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists, who were seized in a purge in September 2001.
He was awarded the Edelstam Prize “for his outstanding contribution and exceptional courage in standing up for freedom of expression, one’s beliefs, and in the defense of human rights,” the Edelstam Foundation said in a statement.
Amnesty International considers Isaak a prisoner of conscience, and press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says he and his colleagues detained at the same time are the longest-held journalists in the world.
UN rights experts have demanded Asmara immediately release him.
Eritrea has provided no news about him, and there are fears he may no longer even be alive. He would be 60 years old.
His daughter Betlehem Isaak will accept the award on his behalf in Stockholm on November 19.
Isaak fled to Sweden in 1987 during Eritrea’s struggle against Ethiopia which eventually led to independence in 1993.
After obtaining Swedish citizenship, he returned to Eritrea in 2001 to help shape the media landscape, and co-founded Setit, the country’s first independent newspaper.
He was arrested shortly after the paper published articles demanding political reforms.
Asmara has not provided any information about his whereabouts or health over the years, which UN experts in 2021 deemed “extremely concerning.”
But they said a credible source had indicated Isaak was still alive in September 2020.
The Edelstam Prize is awarded in memory of Swedish diplomat Harald Edelstam, who as ambassador to Chile at the time of Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 military coup granted thousands of Chileans and other Latin Americans safe conduct to, and political asylum in, Sweden.


Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024

Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024
Updated 11 November 2024
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Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024

Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024
  • ‘Why Riyadh? Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030’ scooped the top prize for Best Newspaper Infographic while ‘The Fast Track to Makkah’ won Best Newspaper Infographic

LONDON: Arab News marked a double win at the prestigious Asian Media Awards 2024, organized by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, also known as WAN-IFRA.

The Riyadh-based newspaper won top honors for Best Newspaper Front Page Design and Best Newspaper Infographics at the highly competitive event, which featured 251 entries from 42 media organizations across 13 countries.

Arab News secured the Best Newspaper Front Page Design award for its feature, “Why Riyadh? Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030,” a special issue dedicated to Riyadh’s successful bid to host the World Expo in 2030.

The Best Newspaper Infographic award went to “The Fast Track to Makkah,” showcasing a detailed infographic on the Haramain high-speed rail and Mashaer train, which connects the holy cities of Madinah and Makkah. This graphic was a centerpiece of Arab News’ special Hajj 2023 coverage, lauded for its clarity and creativity in explaining the Kingdom’s 450-km rail network.

WAN-IFRA, founded in 1948 as the Federation Internationale des Editeurs de Journaux et Publications, represents over 18,000 publications globally, promoting publishing standards in design, infographics, editorial, marketing, community service, and photojournalism.

Now in its 23rd year, the awards ceremony took place at Mount Faber Peak, Singapore, with other leading participants including SPH Media, South China Morning Post, Japan Times, and Kumparan.

With these new accolades, Arab News has now won 145 awards under the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas, who has steered the publication’s transformation to a digital-first platform since 2016.

Past recognition encompasses a range of special projects, including multiple international awards for “Saudi’s Animal Kingdom,” “The Kingdom vs. Captagon” deep dive, and the “FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022” special edition.

For more information about Arab News and its award-winning projects, visit arabnews.com/greatesthits.