(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the fatal shooting in Baghdad of Iraqi television journalist Likaa Abdel-Razak on 27 October 2004. The killing “once again bears the hallmarks of an execution,” the organisation said. An interpreter and the driver of the taxi in which Abdel-Razak was travelling were also killed in the shooting, while a friend […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the fatal shooting in Baghdad of Iraqi television journalist Likaa Abdel-Razak on 27 October 2004. The killing “once again bears the hallmarks of an execution,” the organisation said. An interpreter and the driver of the taxi in which Abdel-Razak was travelling were also killed in the shooting, while a friend of the journalist was wounded.
“We are outraged by what appears to have been a targeted killing designed to intimidate the entire press and we call on the authorities to carry out a rapid and thorough investigation to identify those responsible and prevent this kind of tragedy from continuing,” RSF said, while reiterating the principle that “journalists are neutral observers whose work must be protected and respected in order to ensure that news reporting is as free and thorough as possible.”
Abdel-Razak was travelling in a taxi with her friend and an interpreter when the vehicle was fired upon by unidentified gunmen. Abdel-Razak, the interpreter and the taxi driver all died instantly. The injured friend was rushed to hospital, but quickly left for fear of being followed there and killed.
Abdel Salam Al-Dari, a journalist with the television station Al-Iraqiya, said Abdel-Razak was on her way to the United States (US) military base of Eskania, in the Al-Saydia district, south of Baghdad, on personal business. Her husband, who was murdered two months ago, worked as an interpreter for the US army.
Abdel-Razak had been working for the past month for the Iraqi television station Al-Charkia, which is part of the Al-Zaman press group. She also had a contract with the US-financed television station Al-Iraqiya. She had just given birth to a daughter and also had a 6-year-old son.
Iraq continues to be one of the most dangerous places in the world for the news media. At least 30 journalists and 15 other media workers have been killed in the country since the start of the war in March 2003. Thirty journalists and media workers have been killed since the start of 2004, of whom 24 were Iraqis.
