March 15, 2002	Friday	Zilhaj 30, 1422

PARIS, March 14: International journalists’ rights organisation Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) says that it is “appalled” by the death of Italian freelance journalist Raffaele Ciriello who was shot dead on Wednesday by the Israeli army in Ramallah, and demanded “an immediate enquiry into exactly how he was killed and, if necessary, the trial of those responsible.”

“For months, we have been denouncing the impunity enjoyed by Israeli troops firing on journalists,” says RSF secretary-general Robert Ménard. “We have repeatedly expressed our concern over how Israeli authorities show a complete lack of interest in the shootings, which — in spite of our repeated demands — they do not even investigate.

‘‘Given their attitude, the situation was bound to lead to this kind of tragedy.’’