The Arab Organization for Dialogue and International Cooperation calls for media accuracy in coverage of the Russian plane crash in Sinai, Egypt.
The Arab Organization for Dialogue and International Cooperation extends its sincere condolences to the Russian nation-friend, leadership, government, and people, and to the families of the victims of the Russian plane fall on October 31st near El-Hassna, South Sinai. As it extends its condolences and solidarity, the Arab Organization emphasizes its fullest sympathy and sorrow for the victims of this painful event.
The Organization values the efforts and of the investigation committees, understanding that such technical operations require time and accuracy. It calls on the media to provide transparent coverage, and cooperate with relevant Russian entities and investigation committees to investigate the cause of the devastating event. The Arab Organization looks forward to more objectivity and professionalism on the part of some external media parties, stressing the importance of limiting discussions about the delicate matter to only those with technical expertise on the issue. As is the case with plane falls and crises throughout the world, media should refrain from discussing the event until after the technical investigations are conducted, rather than rely on unempirical political opinions, based on speculations or individual conjectures that lack evidential support.
The Organization demands the most extensive security throughout Egyptian airports and ports, inviting all international security organizations to observe the strict security regulations that will be enacted to secure all Egyptians and foreign nationals in Egypt and abroad.
The Organization invites all media entities to exercise accuracy, objectivity, and transparency in covering this event, since any false statements devote negative mental images that harm millions of innocents economically, further affecting the humanitarian relations between nations.
The Organization has observed the coverage of multiple foreign media entities throughout the past week, and has detected numerous fallacies and exaggerations, especially among some English and American channels that bypassed the ongoing investigations, immediately pointing accusations towards Egyptian security authorities. Hence, the Arab Organization calls on the Foreign Press Association in Egypt to adopt conveying a correct image of these events, being the legitimate platform that brings together all foreign correspondents in Egypt.
Furthermore, the Organization has followed, at much discomfort, the mistakes made by several Egyptian media entities, including its reiteration of the accusations promoted by some of the Western media. Some media personnel have provocatively launched attacks on a number of foreign nations, and this kind of action is intolerable in managing the current crisis. The Organization calls on media to realize the magnitude of dangerous economic outcomes of unprofessional media coverage, and further alerts them from following emotions during their coverage.
The Arab Organization recommends the formation of a media crisis management committee to set regulations of media coverage on a number of issues, both local and international.