The killing of prominent Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is a “potential war crime”, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, said in an interview with a Turkish news agency on Wednesday.

Albanese, who last month succeeded her predecessor Professor Michael Lynk, told the Anadolu Agency that Abu Akleh’s killing constitutes a “serious violation of international humanitarian law and is potentially a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.”

“The tragic death of Shireen Abu Akleh is yet another serious attack on journalism and freedom of expression and the right to life and safety in the occupied Palestinian territories,” said Albanese.

“Abu Akleh’s killing must be thoroughly investigated in a transparent, rigorous and independent manner,” Albanese continued asserting that “it is the right moment to demand that the illegal occupation of Palestine be dismantled.”

Abu Akleh was assassinated by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin. Abu Akleh’s colleagues who witnessed the killing said that she was hit by an Israeli sniper who had pinned them down on the street where the veteran journalist was killed.

(MEMO, PC, Social Media)