The İstanbul Bar Association has denounced the killing of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who died in a drone attack in northern Syria on 19 December, calling the incident a breach of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. The association urged the authorities to launch an immediate investigation and hold those responsible to account.
“According to reports, journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin lost their lives while covering developments in Syria. Targeting journalists in conflict zones violates international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions,” the association said in a statement.
The association further noted that targeting civilians not involved in the conflict constitutes a war crime under Article 8/2/b/ii of the Rome Statute. “The rules protecting journalists in armed conflict are embedded within international humanitarian law,” it added.
During a protest held in İstanbul’s Şişhane Square in memory of the slain journalists, dozens of people, including four lawyers from the bar association and two law students, were arrested.
The association condemned the detentions as “unacceptable”, saying, “Instead of launching investigations into violations of international law, the authorities have detained citizens exercising their constitutional rights and mourning their colleagues.”
The association called for a thorough investigation into the killings and demanded the immediate release of those arrested from the protest. It affirmed the determination of the association to closely monitor the developments following the arrests.
