Report on an investigation into the death of Imad Abu Zahra in Jenin on 12 July 2002Reporters Without Borders and Damocles Network, an organisation which combats impunity, today released the report of their joint on-site investigation into the fatal bullet injury sustained by Palestinian press photographer Imad Abu Zahra on 11 July 2002 in Jenin, in the Occupied Territories.
Abu Zahra was hit in the leg and died the following day as a result of this injury. The report's findings are as follows :
Abu Zahra was hit in the leg and died the following day as a result of this injury. The report's findings are as follows :
The curfew had been lifted that day in Jenin, and the streets were calm. The gunfire that hit Abu Zahra was Israeli, and had not been preceded by any warning. While Abu Zahra was not wearing anything that identified him as a journalist, there was another journalist beside him who was wearing a bulletproof vest marked "Press". These two civilians in no way posed any threat to the Israeli tanks. Contrary to undertakings given, the Israeli army's enquiry was either non-existent or very slipshod.