The Committee to Protect Journalists, in collaboration with the European Federation of Journalists, sent a letter to the Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Joseph Borrell, and the Vice-President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, asking for suspension of the association agreement between the EU and Israel and the application of sanctions on the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and other officials.
The letter was signed by 60 trade unions and European journalists' organizations, including countries such as Spain, Luxembourg, France, Finland, Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Germany and Portugal. The Journalists' Union signed the letter, which it sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Paulo Rangel (PSD).
These organizations write to request that the European Union take action against the unprecedented murder of journalists at the hands of Israel and other violations of press freedom.
Highlights the murder of more than 100 journalists since October, the restriction of media access to territories in Gaza, the banning of media outlets, like Al Jazeera, the application of prior censorship to the Israeli press, and the use of arbitrary detention without charge of civilians, and the alleged torture of detainees, journalists and civilians.
“Although Israel claims that its actions seek to keep its population safe, history shows that censorship and denial of the right to information are the wrong path to peace and security”, reads the letter that is available here.
The letter also regrets that European governments have not yet unanimously condemned the “crimes of the Israeli forces in Gaza” since the start of the war.
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