The Family of Journalist Christopher Allen Joins the Calls for a Full Investigation Into His Wrongful Death in South Sudan

PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - Sep 5, 2017) -  The family of Christopher Allen today issued a statement in response to the journalist's wrongful death in South Sudan, East Africa. Allen, 26, was one of 19 people killed Saturday, August 26, 2017, during fighting between government troops and rebels in Kaya, near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Allen was a freelance reporter and photographer who covered stories for several news outlets, including the Independent, Telegraph, Guardian and Al-Jazeera. Both UNESCO and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the killing and affirmed Allen was deserving of civilian status in keeping with the Geneva Conventions, which should have protected him in a time of war.

To follow is the statement from Christopher Allen's parents, Joyce Krajian and John Allen:

"As we deal with our profound grief, we, the parents of Christopher Allen, join the Committee to Protect Journalists in the push for a credible and independent investigation of any parties involved in his wrongful death.

We respect and admire our son, whose unyielding passion for journalism was driven by his desire to tell some of the world's most critical stories. As loving parents, we were fearful whenever he entered a war zone and our hearts sank when we learned he was going to South Sudan. Yet Christopher was a truth seeker, committed to uncovering the full context of the stories he reported even when this required personal risk. His research was firsthand and thorough, and he cared deeply about the real people involved in and affected by conflict.

We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son and cannot begin to imagine our lives without him. Like Christopher, we believe access to information is fundamental to a free and thriving society and we must continue to protect journalists in order to maintain press freedom in the United States and across the globe. Just as Christopher sought the truth of the tragedies and difficulties of others, we will now work to establish the truth of the circumstances of his killing."

The family of Christopher Allen has launched a crowdfunding campaign in Christopher's memory, raising money to support the work and safety of freelance journalists. The fundraiser is online at https://www.gofundme.com/christopherallenlegacyfund.

CPJ, an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes journalistic freedom worldwide, urged authorities to respect all journalists' status as civilians.

"Taking photographs and reporting events is not attacking. It is journalistic work done by civilians, who are protected under international law," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal in New York. "We call for a credible, independent investigation into the killing of Christopher Allen so that those responsible can be held to account."