- Usyk heavyweight glory hailed as 'Ukrainian victory'
- Cannes narco musical star says being trans should be 'unimportant'
- Shelling kills ten in Ukraine region under Russian offensive
- DR Congo thwarts Kinshasa 'coup attempt' : army
- Injured Sinner back on road to French Open
- Dominican Republic votes for president in poll overshadowed by Haiti crisis
- France says will quell New Caledonia riots 'whatever the cost'
- 'Blood everywhere': Survivor recounts attack on tourists in Afghanistan
- Deadly bombs hit Gaza as US security envoy visits Israel
- World javelin champion Kitaguchi lays down marker in Tokyo
- Hundreds protest Taiwan's ruling party on eve of inauguration
- French forces smash roadblocks in bid to clear key New Caledonia road
- Russian exiles in Georgia inspired by protests but scared
- Taiwan's next president goes shrimp fishing with foreign guests
- Can Costner lead the revenge of France's much-mocked Kevins?
- Dramas elevate Iran cinema but it's comedy that sells
- Fury unsure on rematch after Usyk inflicts his first defeat
- Taiwan coast guard ramps up island patrols ahead of inauguration
- 'Maldives what?': Saudi fashionistas attempt beach rebrand
- Dallas rally to down Thunder, reach NBA Western Conference finals
- The French 'Erin Brockovich' vs Goodyear
- History-chasing Man City eye Premier League title 'destiny'
- Body of second missing Mongolian climber found on Everest
- Campana's late stunner gives Miami victory over D.C.
- Iraq father begins legal action against BP over son's cancer death
- Dominican Republic's vote is dominated by Haiti crisis
- Blue Origin flies thrill seekers to space after two year hiatus
- Biles launches Olympic year with impressive Core Hydration Classic win
- Usyk in tears for late father after historic heavyweight win
- Can we rid artificial intelligence of bias?
- Forgotten D-Day cameramen out of shadows, 80 years on
- Hollywood battles aging -- in film reels
- 'Blood in the water' for record low scores in PGA final round
- Usyk beats Fury to become undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion
- Seize the Grey wins Preakness for 88-year-old trainer Lukas
- Lowry's 62 equals low major round as Schauffele, Morikawa lead PGA
- Second major win would mean a lot for danger-man Lowry
- Tourists wounded in deadly Afghanistan shooting are stable: hospital
- Lowry matches low major round with 62 as Schauffele leads PGA
- Top-ranked Korda takes LPGA lead at Liberty National
- Benjamin wins LA 400m hurdles in blistering 46.64sec
- Ahly stay on track for 12th title after holding Esperance
- Three Spaniards, three Afghans killed in shooting in Afghanistan
- Canadian oil city lifts wildfire evacuation orders
- Schauffele clings to PGA lead as Lowry makes epic charge
- Swiatek 'staying humble' for French Open after third Rome title
- Chinese director Jia mines leftover footage for top Cannes film
- Zelensky expects Russia offensive in northeast Ukraine to intensify
- Bengaluru win six in row to make IPL play-offs, Chennai out
- Klopp joins social media to cement Liverpool 'love affair'
Arman and the war against journalists: A year of pain and loss
The killing of the brilliant young AFP journalist Arman Soldin on the front lines in Ukraine one year ago remains a uniquely traumatic event for all of us.
There is nothing more painful for a newsroom than to lose a friend and colleague in the line of fire.
Arman had proved both his talent as a video storyteller and his unbridled commitment to his craft. He was passionate about giving a voice to the ordinary people caught up in the tumult of war.
His death at 32 was not just a crime, it was a great loss to journalism.
At AFP we try to honour his memory every day with our continued commitment to reporting from Ukraine as well as Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and many other conflicts on our increasingly fragile planet. It is our mission, it is in our DNA, we do not consider it a choice.
But that does not mean we can accept a growing global culture of impunity around the killing, maiming and imprisonment of journalists. The statistics are profoundly shocking.
- Killed and detained -
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) records over 950 journalists worldwide murdered for doing their job since 1992. It has documented over 90 journalists killed in Gaza over the past seven months alone, an unprecedented assault on press freedom that has passed largely under the radar.
The CPJ also notes over 350 journalists detained worldwide last year including Russia-based Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a former AFP colleague with many friends in our newsroom.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also stated last week in their annual Press Freedom Index that the primary culprits in the failure to protect journalists are governments and politicians. The tilt towards authoritarianism and populism is systematically undermining a culture where journalists are valued in society.
The lack of outrage and concrete action over this unacceptable state of affairs cannot be allowed to stand. It is essential the media industry rallies together and uses every lever available to push back against this creeping and existential threat.
Those responsible for this unprecedented attack on civil society should be named, held to account and ultimately brought to justice. It may take time, but we need to be resolute and stay the course.
Arman was killed by a Russian Grad rocket attack as he reported with colleagues on the bloody battle for the town of Bakhmut on May 9, 2023. The group, which included several Ukrainian soldiers, appears to have been directly targeted, but we don't know yet whether they were targeted because journalists were present.
- War crimes investigation -
We are encouraged that French anti-terrorism prosecutors have opened a war crimes investigation to determine the exact circumstances of Arman's death. We hope this will bring some answers and accountability.
We are also working to bring clarity to the circumstances around the horrific attack by an Israeli tank on a group of journalists in southern Lebanon on October 13. The attack killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and wounded six other journalists including AFP photographer Christina Assi and video journalist Dylan Collins. Christina had a leg amputated and spent five months in intensive care in hospital.
One of our strongest weapons in our fight against impunity is our own journalism. The rise of open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques has given digital investigators tremendous resources to track down culprits and provide facts to counter false narratives and misinformation. The combination of this digital sleuthing with old-fashioned on-the-ground evidence gathering is a powerful cocktail.
In southern Lebanon, the investigative journalism of AFP and Reuters has produced facts to prove that Israeli tank fire was responsible. Military experts say it is evident the group, who were all clearly identified as press, were deliberately targeted. This was not about the fog of war. Something went terribly wrong, and we must now have answers.
This is a tough and unsettling anniversary for all Arman Soldin's family, friends and colleagues. His force of personality, humanity and humour left deep traces and memories which cannot be erased. We grieve deeply for his loss. And we shall continue to seek justice for his killing.
F.Müller--BTB