The Committee to Protect Journalists joined a combined 120 people and entities, including victims and their families, media outlets, press freedom groups, and human rights groups, in two letters calling on the United Nations to help provide accountability in the murder of Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed by Israeli forces in south Lebanon on October 13, 2023, and in the killings of other journalists.
CPJ joined a February 23 letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk asking for an investigation to establish the facts surrounding the October 13 and November 21, 2023 attacks that killed three journalists in south Lebanon—Abdallah, Farah Omar, and Rabih Al Maamari—and publish the findings to hold those responsible accountable. Read the full letter here.
CPJ joined a second letter to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Director-General Audrey Azoulay on February 28, asking for UNESCO’s support in calling for an investigation and advocating for accountability in the apparent war crimes committed against Abdallah and at least eight other journalists. Read the full letter here.
According to CPJ data, more journalists were killed in the first 10 weeks of the Israel-Gaza war, which has included attacks in Lebanon, than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year.
The letters reflect CPJ’s wider calls for action by the international community, published in December 2023.