Strong Reaction to Israel from DISK Basın-İş: Killing Journalists on Duty in Palestine is a Crime under International Law

ISTANBUL - DİSK Basın-İş, affiliated to the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions, issued a harsh statement on the deaths of 5 journalists who lost their lives in Israeli attacks while covering news in Palestine. The union stated that these systematic attacks on journalists by the "occupation regime" are a clear crime under international law and called for those responsible to be tried at the International Criminal Court. DİSK Basın-İş emphasized that journalism is not a crime and the truth cannot be silenced.

"Journalists are Witnesses of the Truth, Attacks are to Obscure the Truth"

In a statement dated August 11, 2025, DİSK Basın-İş stated that journalists have been targeted by Israel since the first day of the war. Noting that journalists working in Palestine work with great devotion to inform the world about the crimes committed by the occupation regime, the statement said that these attacks are clearly a crime not only in the conscience of humanity but also in the eyes of international law.

The union emphasized that journalists are witnesses to the truth in war and conflict zones, and said, "Every attack against them means the obfuscation of the truth and the usurpation of the public's right to information." These attacks are more than just an individual tragedy, he said, they are aimed at disrupting the global flow of information and manipulating public opinion.

Call for Trials to the International Criminal Court

In the statement, DİSK Basın-İş announced that it condemns the systematic violence against journalists in Palestine in the strongest terms. The union argued that those responsible for these grave crimes must be held accountable before international justice and called for their prosecution at the International Criminal Court. This call places an important responsibility on the international community to ensure that these events do not go unpunished and to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

DİSK Basın-İş ended its statement with the messages "We salute our colleagues who announced the genocide to the world!" and "Journalism is not a crime, the truth cannot be silenced!" and declared their solidarity with all their colleagues. This shows that the union stands with journalists in Palestine and will carry the struggle for press freedom to international platforms.