National Press Club Event To Call for Justice in Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

News Advisory:

Event:

Briefing to mark one year since the murder of Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh.

When:

Thursday, May 11 at 10:30am EDT

Where:

National Press Club
529 14th Street NW (13th Floor)
Washington, DC 20045

Who:

Lina Abu Akleh (niece of Shireen) via video;
Eileen O’Reilly, President of the National Press Club;
Abderrahim Foukara, Washington Bureau Chief, Al Jazeera

Details:

One year ago today veteran American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed as she was covering a raid near Jenin in the West Bank. A correspondent for Al Jazeera, Shireen had been covering events in the region for 15 years and was following all the protocols to maintain safety. She was in plain sight of the Israeli forces. She was wearing a vest clearly marked PRESS, and was wearing her helmet.  But, despite these precautions, evidence indicates she was fired upon and killed by the Israeli military.

Shireen is a U.S. citizen and as such her death should receive a full investigation. The Israeli government’s cooperation has been limited and insufficient and no one has been held accountable. The National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute, call on the Israeli and U.S. governments to fully investigate and bring Shireen’s family and her colleagues justice. Shireen was a well-known and beloved journalist doing her job and she has been killed with impunity. Abderrahim Foukara will discuss the concerns of Al Jazeera as Shireen’s employer. Eileen O’Reilly will remind us why the National Press Club honored Shireen in 2022 with the President’s Award. Shireen’s niece, Lina Abu Akleh will address the concerns of Shireen’s family as well as her own personal loss.

The event is open to National Press Club members and their guests, as well as credentialed press. RSVP to [email protected]

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club