Utgivarna i öppet brev till Israel: Släpp in journalister i Gaza

Inför årsdagen av Hamas terrorangrepp på Israel den 7 oktober skriver Utgivarna i ett öppet brev adresserat till staten Israel att internationella journalister måste släppas in i Gaza. De kräver också att Israel vidtar åtgärder för att bättre skydda journalister som bevakar konflikten, och påminner om de många journalister som dödats i Gaza.

– Svenska och internationella journalister har nu under ett år förvägrats möjligheten att göra sitt jobb i Gaza. Det är oacceptabelt, säger ordföranden Anne Lagercrantz i en kommentar.

– Bristen på närvaro förhindrar publikens möjlighet att själva bilda sig en uppfattning om vad som händer i Gaza. Rykten och desinformation sprids och det blir allt svårare för fria medier att skildra vardagen.

Annons

Här är Utgivarnas brev till Israel:

Stockholm, Sweden                                                                                                       October 4, 2024

Mr. Ambassador,

Utgivarna, the joint publishing organization that brings together all major media outlets in Sweden, today urges the State of Israel to immediately act to better facilitate and safeguard free journalism.

Utgivarna demands:

1. That Israel promptly opens the border to Gaza for news media wishing to report on the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, and on the consequences that the hostilities bring on for civilians.

2. That Israel ensures that the country’s armed forces respect the rights of journalists to — free from any undue influence — carry out, on-site in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, the vital societal mission assigned to the defenders of free speech, namely the news media.

Utgivarna represents the media companies Sveriges Television, UR, Sveriges Radio, TV4, and the industry organizations Sveriges Tidskrifter and Tidningsutgivarna. As the Ambassador of Israel well knows, the member companies of Utgivarna are well-respected and independent news providers who have continually reported on developments in the region since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. It is with great sorrow and anger that we are forced to state that Israel is now actively preventing reporters and photographers from entering Gaza to objectively report on what is happening there.

Mr. Ambassador, Swedish journalists wish to be the ears and eyes of the Swedish public on the ground, including in Gaza. Utgivarna expects you to promptly convey our demand to the relevant authorities in Israel.

Moreover, the internationally recognized organization Reporters Without Borders recently confirmed that more than 130 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the unacceptable and horrific terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. At least 32 of our colleagues died while on duty, which serves as a reminder of the responsibility of all parties involved in conflicts to enable free journalism, even in areas of conflict.

Therefore, we demand that Israel:

1. Opens the border to Gaza for journalists.

2. Takes every measure to ensure the safety of journalists.

The Board of the Publisher’s Association Utgivarna in Sweden

Christofer Ahlqvist, editor-in-chief, Göteborgs-Posten

Cilla Benkö, CEO, Sveriges Radio

Mathias Berg, CEO, TV4

Anders Enström, editor-in-chief, Barometern

Viveka Hansson, Vice Chairperson, Utgivarna and Executive Publisher, TV4

Anne Lagercrantz, Chairperson, Utgivarna and Vice President, Sveriges Television

Thomas Mattsson, Vice Chairperson, Utgivarna and Senior Publisher, Bonnier News

Kerstin Neld, CEO, Sveriges Tidskrifter

Kalle Sandhammar, CEO, UR

James Savage, Vice Chairperson, Utgivarna and Chairperson, Sveriges Tidskrifter

Hanna Stjärne, CEO, Sveriges Televsion

Johan Taubert, CEO, Tidningsutgivarna