Investigation Launch: The Extrajudicial Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh 

Ramallah – On Thursday 3 November 2022, to commemorate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, Al-Haq and Forensic Architecture will hold the launch of their latest joint investigation: The Extrajudicial Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.  

This investigation is the first to employ a precise digital reconstruction of Shireen’s killing, and has been able to conclusively support both new and existing claims about the targeting of Shireen Abu Akleh by drawing upon new evidence from a range of sources, including previously unseen footage, unpublished autopsy documents, and original testimonies. 

The launch will screen the final investigation video and announce the submission of their evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) through Bindmans LLP, in support of a Communication submitted by Bindmans LLP and Doughty Street Chambers, on 20 September 2022, on behalf of the family of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and journalists Ali Samoudi and Shatha Hanaysha, with the support of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP).  

This follows an earlier Communication submitted to the ICC by the same legal team on 19 April 2022 on behalf of four journalists and/or their bereaved families – Muath Amarneh, Nedal Eshtayeh, Ahmad Abu Hussein and Yaser Murtaja – and by occupants of the Al-Sousi, the Al-Shorouk, and the Al-Jalaa Towers in Gaza (which housed Palestinian and international media organisations, and civilian residences), with the support of the PJS, IFJ and ICJP. 

ICJP Director, Tayab Ali, will address the conference on previous communications submitted on the systemic targeting of Palestinian journalists and will be joined by victims, journalists and representatives from Al Haq; Forensic Architecture and the Center for Constitutional Rights.  

Al Haq’s Forensic Architecture Investigation Unit and Forensic Architecture’s joint investigation on ‘Shireen Abu Akleh: The Extrajudicial Killing of a Journalist’ can be found here.