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France opens war crime probe into AFP reporter’s death in Ukraine

11.05.2023 15:30
French prosecutors have launched a war crime investigation after a video journalist with the AFP news agency was killed in a Russian rocket attack in Ukraine earlier this week. 
A video in tribute to the slain AFP video journalist, Arman Soldin, is displayed on screens during a minutes silence held for him at AFP headquarters in central Paris, on Thursday, May 11, 2023.
A video in tribute to the slain AFP video journalist, Arman Soldin, is displayed on screens during a minute's silence held for him at AFP headquarters in central Paris, on Thursday, May 11, 2023.PAP/EPA/MARTIN BUREAU / POOL

France’s national anti-terrorism prosecution agency (PNAT) opened war crime proceedings into the case on Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The agency handed the investigation to France’s central office for combating crimes against humanity and hate crimes, OCLCH, according to officials.  

The office has already assembled a team of experts who will visit the site of the AFP reporter’s death near Chasiv Yar, close to Bakhmut, in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, the PAP news agency reported.

Russian rocket kills AFP video journalist in Ukraine 

The journalist, 32-year-old Arman Soldin, died when he and his AFP colleagues came under fire by Russia’s Grad rockets on Tuesday afternoon, while they were with Ukrainian soldiers near Chasiv Yar, according to US broadcaster CBS News. 

The Sarajevo-born Frenchman was accompanied by four other AFP reporters, who were not injured, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported.

The AFP news agency said in a tweet: “We are devastated to learn of the death of AFP video journalist Arman Soldin in eastern Ukraine ... All of our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones.”

Soldin last posted on social media on Monday, attaching footage from a field hospital near the embattled city of Bakhmut, the PAP news agency reported

His death brings to at least 11 the number of journalists, fixers or drivers for media teams killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, according to advocacy groups, CBS News reported.

Thursday is day 442 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, CBS News, Ukrainska Pravda