At least three reporters have been killed covering the conflict in Georgia, and two others are reported missing. We are investigating reports today that journalists may have targeted at a press center in the city of Gori, which has been flattened in the Russian bombing campaign.
We issued a statement this morning reminding all parties to the conflict that journalists reporting in the conflict zone are civilians and under the Geneva Conventions cannot be targeted.
We are saddened and gravely concerned by the death of three colleagues in such a short period, a level of violence we have not seen since the early days of the 2003 Iraq invasion.
We will continue to provide details about the circumstances of these killings as we confirm them, along with information about a number of journalists and media workers who have been injured. But one thing is immediately clear, based on our experience in previous conflicts. With the number of journalists’ deaths this high, the fighting is both brutal and unpredictable. We can expect reports of widespread civilian casualties in the coming days.