Christina Assi to Carry Olympic Flame in France This Sunday

Agence France-Presse (AFP) photojournalist Christina Assi will be carrying the Olympic Flame ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics this Sunday, July 21st in Vincennes in honor of journalists killed on duty. She will be joined by video journalist Dylan Collins.

A targeted attack in South Lebanon on October 13, 2023, resulted in the murder of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah. Among the six journalists injured were Christina Assi, who suffered severe injuries leading to the partial amputation of her leg, and AFP video journalist Dylan Collins. Collins had already sustained injuries while reporting earlier that year in Bakhmut, Ukraine.

When AFP was tasked with carrying the Olympic Flame, the news agency’s Head of Sport Pierre Galy thought of Assi, “whose courage and tenacity are admired by everyone at the Agency”. Assi and Collin’s participation in the torch relay not only honors their fallen colleagues but also highlights the dangers faced by frontline journalists reporting from danger zones.

Al Mayadeen journalists Farah Omar and Rabih Maamari were also killed by targeted attacks while reporting in South Lebanon on November 21, 2023.

Despite the threats to their safety, journalists continue to report from the frontlines. We extend our gratitude to those who, with unwavering commitment, continue to champion the truth through their vital and courageous work.

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