Sheikh Nasser bin Faisal Al Thani, Director General of Al Jazeera, emphasizes that safeguarding journalists equates to safeguarding the truth.
Published On 8 Oct 2025
Sheikh Nasser bin Faisal Al Thani, newly appointed Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network, has underscored the urgent need to enhance protections for journalists operating in conflict zones. Speaking at a recent conference in Doha, he urged greater collaboration between media entities and human rights advocates to ensure the safety of reporters on the front lines.
In his inaugural public speech since assuming leadership of the Doha-based broadcaster last month, Sheikh Nasser highlighted Al Jazeera’s commitment to journalist safety through comprehensive training and mentorship programs designed to prepare correspondents for the perils of war reporting.
Addressing the Conference on The Protection of Journalists in Armed Conflicts, a two-day forum held in Qatar’s capital, he remarked, “Journalists are not combatants; their role is to deliver information to the public.” He stressed the necessity of intensifying efforts to shield media professionals in war-torn regions, warning that without such measures, atrocities and war crimes risk remaining undocumented and unchallenged.
Sheikh Nasser called for the rigorous enforcement of human rights laws and encouraged stronger alliances between press organizations and human rights groups. “Suppressing free expression will never erase the truth,” he affirmed. “Defending journalists is synonymous with defending the truth itself.”
‘The Threat to Journalists is Escalating’
The conference’s opening day featured testimonies from journalists who have reported from conflict zones, including Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, who sustained injuries during an Israeli strike in Gaza in late 2023.
Dahdouh has been a vocal advocate for raising global awareness about the hazardous conditions faced by journalists in Gaza since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023.
According to the Shireen Abu Akleh Observatory, over 300 journalists and media personnel have lost their lives in Gaza throughout the ongoing two-year conflict, including 10 from Al Jazeera alone.
“Journalists are being targeted and killed, amounting to a form of genocide against the press,” Dahdouh declared during the event.
Other participants included legal experts and representatives from organizations dedicated to journalist safety, such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). A representative from the International Criminal Court (ICC) also contributed to the discussions.
The sessions focused on the increasing assaults on journalists and the detention of media workers both in Gaza and globally.
Several speakers emphasized the critical need to recognize journalists as civilians under international law. However, they noted that existing legal protections for civilians do not always extend adequately to journalists, underscoring the demand for specific international statutes aimed at safeguarding media professionals and their organizations.
Omar Mekky, regional legal coordinator for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), explained, “While civilians can flee conflict zones, journalists must remain to report. Equating war correspondents with civilians overlooks the unique risks they face.”
Speakers also urged governments worldwide to exert diplomatic pressure on regimes that target journalists, advocating for stronger international accountability.
The conference is set to continue its deliberations on the following day.
