Geneva, 10 April 2003:  The European Broadcasting Union, APTN (Associated Press Television News) and ENEX (European News Exchange) are calling upon the parties in the conflict in Iraq to respect the work of all journalists and to safeguard their lives. 

Ten journalists have died in the conflict in Iraq and two are still missing, the three organizations recall.

The majority have been broadcasters: cameramen and reporters. All of them were veterans of other conflicts. They had covered human suffering and misery in Albania, Afghanistan, the former Yugoslavia. All of them recognized the risks of their assignments and all of them had prepared for this assignment – their last as it turns out.

The three organizations point out that journalists are willing to take these risks because they are convinced that human discourse is only possible if societies can judge by facts; newsmen and women like those who died in the past few days are the indispensable interpreters of the facts and images of war and peace.

According to the EBU, APTN and ENEX: wars claim many innocent victims, but we have a special duty towards those who chose to put themselves in harm’s way for an ideal: an informed society.

Contact:

Tony Naets, Head, Eurovision News Services
Tel: +41 (0)22 717 2831
Fax: +41 (0)22 747 4831
naets@eurovision.net