AP president: Killing of journalists should be a war crime

HONG KONG (AP):

The president and CEO of the Associated Press called yesterday for changes to international laws that would make it a war crime to kill journalists or take them hostage.

Gary Pruitt said a new framework is needed to protect journalists as they cover conflicts in which they are increasingly seen as targets by extremist groups.

"It used to be that when media wore PRESS emblazoned on their vest, or PRESS or MEDIA was on their vehicle, it gave them a degree of protection" because reporters were seen as independent civilians telling the story of the conflict, Pruitt said.

labelling now a target

"But guess what: That labelling now is more likely to make them a target," he said in a speech at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club.

Last year was a particularly deadly year for the AP, four of the news cooperative's journalists were killed on assignment. Globally, 61 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2014, bringing to more than 1,000 the number who have died since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

One of the most high-profile killings was that of AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus, who was shot by a police officer while covering elections in Afghanistan. AP reporter Kathy Gannon was severely wounded in the same attack. Two other AP staff, videographer Simone Camilli and translator Abu Ali Fash, were killed in Gaza when an unexploded missile went off. In addition, AP photographer Franklin Reyes Marrero died in a car accident while returning from an assignment in Cuba.