Document - Iraq: Bombing of Iraqi state television
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: MDE 14/046/2003 (Public)
News Service No: 068
26 March 2003
Iraq: Bombing of Iraqi state television
Amnesty International today cautioned that the bombing of the Iraqi state television station in Baghdad by US allied forces could be a breach of the Geneva Conventions.
"The bombing of a television station, simply because it is being used for the purposes of propaganda, cannot be condoned. It is a civilian object, and thus protected under international humanitarian law," the organization said.
According to Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions Article 52 (2) "Attacks shall be limited strictly to military objectives. In so far as objects are concerned, military objectives are limited to those objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose total or partial destruction, capture or neutralization, in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage."
For further information on Amnesty International's concerns and recommendations about the crisis in Iraq please visit: http://www.amnesty.org/go/iraq
For comment, please contact the following media officers:
Between 1900 GMT and 0200 GMT
Alistair Hodgett on +1 202 544 0200 ext 302 or mobile +1 703 861 7384 (English)
Between 0200 GMT and 0800 GMT
Rebecca Lineham on + 64 21 422 562 (English)
Between 0800 GMT and 1900 GMT
Judit Arenas on + 44 207413 5810 or mobile + 44 7778 472 188 (English and Spanish)
Teresa Richardson on + 44 207413 5554 or mobile + 44 7768 182 445 (English)
Kamal Samari on + 44 207413 5831 or mobile + 44 7778 472 126 (English, Arabic and French)
Magda Wendorff-Kowalczuk on + 44 207413 5729 or mobile + 44 7778 472 173 (English, German and Polish)
Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org