Morale Varies in Swiss Press

What happened to Amal Mekki, former head of the Arabic desk at SwissInfo, mentioned in our article 'Affaire Amal Mekki: when a journalist's origin becomes a controversial issue', is deeply troubling and raises serious ethical questions, commented an Arab journalist based in Switzerland under an alias. The Tunisian journalist lost her job after her coverage of the Gaza war came under tendentious criticism from an Israeli journalist. ⏱️ 3 min read The facts and recent developments The leadership of the SSR, a media group previously known for its professional rigor and impeccable ethics, did not criticize Amal Mekki for factual or professional errors, as her articles were accurate, well-documented, and balanced. What was criticized about her was essentially her Arab-Muslim origin and her pro-Palestinian positions expressed on social media even before joining the Swiss information group. 'This story reveals the climate of fear that seems to prevail in part of the Swiss press,' notes our colleague. And adds: 'The silence of the Swiss press is astounding!' 'This story reveals the climate of fear that seems to prevail in part of the Swiss press' Here, as soon as the question of Israel is raised, many seem paralyzed by the fear of being accused of antisemitism. Yet one must be able to question journalistic practices and power relations without every criticism being immediately discredited.