LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is “gravely concerned” about the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza, his spokesperson said on Monday, after five reporters were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Israel’s military said it targeted and killed prominent Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif, alleging he had headed a Hamas militant cell and was involved in rocket attacks on Israel.
Al Jazeera, which is funded by the Qatari government, rejected the assertion, and before his death, Al Sharif had also rejected such claims by Israel.
“We are gravely concerned by the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza,” Starmer’s spokesperson told reporters.
“Reporters covering conflicts are afforded protection under international humanitarian law, and journalists must be able to report independently, without fear, and Israel must ensure journalists can carry out their work safely.”
Asked about the claim that one of the journalists was linked to Hamas, Starmer’s spokesperson said: “That should be investigated thoroughly and independently, but we are gravely concerned by the repeated targeting of journalists.”
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UK’s Starmer ‘gravely concerned’ about targeting of journalists in Gaza
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UK’s Starmer ‘gravely concerned’ about targeting of journalists in Gaza
- Al Jazeera, which is funded by the Qatari government, rejected the allegation, and before his death, Al Sharif had also rejected such claims by Israel
Pakistani court sentences cleric from banned party to 35 years for inciting violence
- Pakistani officials say an anti-terrorism court has sentenced a senior leader of a banned Islamist party to 35 years in prison for inciting violence
- Isa had faced criticism from hard-line religious groups after he granted bail to a man from the minority Ahmadi community
LAHORE, Pakistan: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court sentenced a senior leader of a banned Islamist party to 35 years in prison for inciting violence, more than a year after the cleric publicly called for the killing of the country’s then-chief justice, court officials and a defense lawyer said Tuesday.
Zaheerul Hassan Shah, a leader of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, was arrested last year after a video circulated on social media showing him offering 10 million rupees ($36,000) to anyone who beheaded then-Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Isa had faced criticism from hard-line religious groups last year after he granted bail to a man from the minority Ahmadi community in a blasphemy case.
The Ahmadi religion is an offshoot of Islam, but Pakistan’s parliament declared Ahmadis non-Muslims in 1974. Ahmadi homes and places of worship are often targeted by Sunni militants, who consider them heretical.
Defense lawyer Maqsood-ul-Haq and court officials said Shah was convicted on Monday by an anti-terrorism court in the eastern city of Lahore.
The latest development comes less than two months after Pakistan’s government banned the TLP party following deadly clashes between the party’s supporters and police during a pro-Gaza rally.
Since those clashes, the party’s leader, Saad Rizvi, has been missing.
Police say Rizvi fled to Pakistan-administered Kashmir during the unrest, which began in early October after Rizvi was leading a march on Islamabad from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.
Zaheerul Hassan Shah, a leader of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, was arrested last year after a video circulated on social media showing him offering 10 million rupees ($36,000) to anyone who beheaded then-Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Isa had faced criticism from hard-line religious groups last year after he granted bail to a man from the minority Ahmadi community in a blasphemy case.
The Ahmadi religion is an offshoot of Islam, but Pakistan’s parliament declared Ahmadis non-Muslims in 1974. Ahmadi homes and places of worship are often targeted by Sunni militants, who consider them heretical.
Defense lawyer Maqsood-ul-Haq and court officials said Shah was convicted on Monday by an anti-terrorism court in the eastern city of Lahore.
The latest development comes less than two months after Pakistan’s government banned the TLP party following deadly clashes between the party’s supporters and police during a pro-Gaza rally.
Since those clashes, the party’s leader, Saad Rizvi, has been missing.
Police say Rizvi fled to Pakistan-administered Kashmir during the unrest, which began in early October after Rizvi was leading a march on Islamabad from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.
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