DIRCO condemns killing of Al Jazeera journalist

• Published date: 12 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has condemned in the strongest possible terms the killing of Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, allegedly by the Israeli Defence Force on Wednesday.

Akleh was shot in the head while on assignment in Jenin, covering Israeli raids on Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Another Al Jazeera journalist, Ali Samoudi, was also wounded after being shot in the back.

The Director-General of DIRCO, Zane Dangor, said the targeting of journalists in the occupied territories, and in conflict zones like Ukraine and Afghanistan, appears to be part of a pattern of silencing the free press, and is an outright contravention of international law.

'In a situation of occupation, protest action is...