Iran: four journalists killed by Israeli air strikes
NUJ joins the International Federation of Journalists in calling for an end to the targeting of journalists and media facilities.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in condemning Israeli strikes killing at least four Iranian journalists. Following Israel’s military offensive on Iranian targets on 13 June, there has been an escalation between the two countries resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians.
Fereshteh Bagheri, a reporter for the Defa Press news agency and the daughter of Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, was killed alongside her father in an Israeli strike that targeted the family home in Tehran.
Saleh Bairami, a freelance cartoonist with Andishe Pooya magazine among other media outlets, was killed on 15 June by Israeli air strikes in Tehran.
The following day, Nima Rajabpour, a news editor for Iran's State TV news channel Khabar, and Masoumeh Azimi, secretariat staffer at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting were killed following targeted Israeli air strikes. Minutes before the attack, Israel Katz, Israel’s Defence Minister said "the Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece" is about "to disappear."
The NUJ and IFJ have urged the safety and protection of journalists carrying out their professional duties. Damage to media facilities occurred to the newsrooms of Sazandegi newspaper and and Ensaf News, a news station with its headquarters in the Iranian capital following Israeli air strikes on a nearby street.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, said:
“Media professionals in areas of armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and allowed to perform their work without interference. The IFJ urges warring parties to refrain from attacking journalists and media facilities and calls on media organisations and employers to do their utmost to ensure the safety of their employees, such as allowing them to work from home if newsrooms are located close to potential targets. No story is worth the life of a journalist.”
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