(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the rocket attacks on the Palestine and Sheraton hotels in Baghdad, which both house journalists, on the morning of 21 November 2003. The organisation urged all parties in Iraq, including coalition armies, armed groups, terrorists and bandits, not to harm representatives of the news media, who are working as neutral […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the rocket attacks on the Palestine and Sheraton hotels in Baghdad, which both house journalists, on the morning of 21 November 2003. The organisation urged all parties in Iraq, including coalition armies, armed groups, terrorists and bandits, not to harm representatives of the news media, who are working as neutral observers in the field.
“The Palestine Hotel and the neighbouring Sheraton are occupied by foreign journalists and other civilians and should not be targeted, either deliberately or accidentally, by military or terrorist attacks,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard said, noting that the Palestine Hotel was already the target of a United States army attack on 8 April, during the taking of Baghdad.
“It is vital that journalists be able to continue to report the news for the outside world from Iraq without their lives being in danger all the time,” Ménard added.
At least two people were injured in the 21 November rocket attacks on the two hotels. Three rockets were fired at the Palestine Hotel, which mostly houses television and radio journalists, and one rocket was fired on the nearby Sheraton Hotel, which also houses many foreign reporters.
