Petition for the U.S. to launch a full investigation into the death of Serena Shim

Serena Shim was a born and raised citizen American citizen of Lebanese orgin. She was a reporter for Press TV in Lebanon, Iraq and the Ukraine. She died on October 19, 2014.

In October 2014, Shim was sent to Turkey on a mission to cover the ISIL conflict. During her investigations for her job Shim claimed that ISIL fighters were being transported humanitarian aid of World Food Organizations and other NGO's en route from Syria to Turkey, adding she had footage to prove her claim. She also claimed Turkey was helping ISIL. After reporting she had a story forthcoming she was accused of by MIT in Turkey of being a spy. Days later she was involved in a suspIcious accident AFTER being threatened by Turkish intelligence. This petition is important because there is media blackout in the United States over this incident. Also, no independant investigation was conducted by the U.S. over her death. This petition requests that one be done due to the threats given by Turkish intel on Serena's life.

Here is our letter:

Dear Ambassador Bass,

I am writing you about the suspicious death of Serena Shim and I request that the United States perform a full investigation about her death.

On October 19, Press TV headlined "Press TV reporter in Turkey killed in suspicious car accident, saying:

It occurred "near the Turkey-Syria border. (She) was killed on Sunday as she was on a working mission in Turkey to cover the ongoing war in the strategic Syrian town of Kobani."

"She was going back to her hotel from a report scene in the city of Suruç in Turkey's Urfa Province when their car collided with a heavy vehicle."

The identity and whereabouts of the truck driver remain unknown.

Shim was a 30-year old Lebanese American. She reported from Lebanon, Iraq, Ukraine, and Turkey. She covered Obama's war on Syria. Partnering with Ankara. Using proxy IS fighters.

She operated from Suruc in Urfa Province. A rural area near Syria's border.

On October 17, she said Turkish National Intelligence accused her of spying. "Probably due to some of the stories (she) had covered about Turkey’s stance on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants in Kobani," she said.

She reported IS fighters covertly smuggled cross-border into Syria. On trucks bearing NGO markings. She had images proving it, saying:

"We were some of the first people on the ground - if not the first people - to get that story of…militants going in through the Turkish border…"

"I’ve got images of them in World Food Organization trucks. It was very apparent that they were militants by their beards, by the clothes they wore, and they were going in there with NGO trucks."

She expressed fear about what Ankara "might use against her." Perhaps arrest her or worse.

She was killed returning to her hotel with her camerawoman, Judy Irish. It is said a heavy vehicle smashed into her rental car. Ruthlessly enough to kill her. Irish was hospitalized with injuries. Of course, since no results of the final investigation are being given I can only write in this petition what has been said in the media. We simply do not know the real facts.

Press TV called her death "suspicious…Just days earlier she had been threatened by Turkish intelligence." Her photographs and video footage disappeared along with her and were never published.

Here are some various links on the case:

Press TV correspondent Serena Shim killed near the Turkey-Syria border

U.S. not investigating Shim's death

Family members doubt Serena was killed in a normal car accident

No support or condolences over Serena's murder from U.S.

Family members "in anguish." Saying she sacrificed her life telling important truths. Ones Turkey, Washington, EU partners and regional rogue states want suppressed.

Her "father was speechless," said Press TV. Her friends explained her important work. How much it meant to her.

Telling Press TV viewers what they most need to know. Real news and information. Polar opposite scoundrel media rubbish.

“The United States will not touch Serena's story with a ten-foot pole citing they do not get involved in foreign murder investigations.

The possibility that this young reporter's death was politically-motivated and linked to her investigations on the link between Turkey supplying ISIS on the border should be thoroughly examined.

It is important to know that the possibly imminent fall of Kobane, Syria’s third largest Kurdish city, has electrified Turkey and is jeopardizing the peace process between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government and the PKK armed rebels. Demonstrations by Kurds, Islamists and nationalists in Turkey have led to clashes. As of today, protests are being held at the Turkish border because they now know that the great secular, democratic nation of Turkey is directly aiding ISIS fascists in order to crush the secular, left-wing Kurdish resistance.

The so-called accidental death of Press TV’s reporter Serena Shim must be fully investigated. Turkey has stated they are carrying out an investigation. It has now been more than 30 days since this accident and still there is no outcome. This is unacceptable.  Turkey must grant investigators from the U.S. full access to all forensic evidence and the crime scene so as to assure there is no stifling of honest journalism and a full accounting is provided to Mrs. Shim’s family. Turkey does not have the credibility to provide such an investigation due to the threats on Ms. Shim's life by Turkish intel. Furthermore, we ask if needed and at the approval of the family a full autopsy be performed. The Turkey police stated Ms. Shim died at impact and later recanted and stated she died of a heart attack at the hospital. What is the truth?  We are suspicious that a radio-frequency weapon, surveillance station/system was used to induce a heart-attack or induce cardiac arrest ("the heart stopped") on Mrs. Shim to die as if by natural cause. Furthermore, if Ms. Shim was in a head on collision why were there no broken bones? In fact, why were there no injuries at all?  The family of Serena deserve the truth about how Mrs. Shim died and must be given the exact cause of her death.

WE MUST HAVE JUSTICE FOR Serena Shim! It appears as though the U.S. is not eager to press an investigation into Serenas death in order to not hurt relations with Turkey. We hope this is not the case and urge the ambassador of the United States to Turkey to launch their own independant full investigation into her death to shed all possible light on the possible murder of Serena Shim, an influential reporter from Press T.V. It is the The United States Of America's duty to ensure that this U.S. national is treated justly including in her death. As the diplomatic spokesperson we ask you call on Turkey's President Recep Erdogan to grant you full access to investigate the cause of this reporter’s death.

Thank you for your help in this urgent matter,

Concerned citzens from the United States of America and around the world

#JusticeforSerena

Dear Ambassador Bass,


I am writing you about the suspicious death of Serena Shim and I request that the United States perform a full investigation about her death.


On October 19, Press TV headlined "Press TV reporter in Turkey killed in suspicious car accident, saying:

It occurred "near the Turkey-Syria border. (She) was killed on Sunday as she was on a working mission in Turkey to cover the ongoing war in the strategic Syrian town of Kobani."

"She was going back to her hotel from a report scene in the city of Suruç in Turkey's Urfa Province when their car collided with a heavy vehicle."

"The identity and whereabouts of the truck driver remain unknown." The motive is clear. Ankara wanted her silenced.

Shim was a 30-year old Lebanese American. She reported from Lebanon, Iraq, Ukraine, and Turkey. She covered Obama's war on Syria. Partnering with Ankara. Using proxy IS fighters.

She operated from Suruc in Urfa Province. A rural area near Syria's border.

On October 17, she said Turkish National Intelligence accused her of spying. "Probably due to some of the stories (she) had covered about Turkey’s stance on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants in Kobani," she said.

She reported IS fighters covertly smuggled cross-border into Syria. On trucks bearing NGO markings. She had images proving it, saying:

"We were some of the first people on the ground - if not the first people - to get that story of…militants going in through the Turkish border…"

"I’ve got images of them in World Food Organization trucks. It was very apparent that they were militants by their beards, by the clothes they wore, and they were going in there with NGO trucks."

She expressed fear about what Ankara "might use against her." Perhaps arrest her or worse.

She was killed returning to her hotel with her camerawoman, Judy Irish. A heavy vehicle smashed into her rental car. Ruthlessly enough to kill her. Irish was hospitalized with injuries.

Press TV called her death "suspicious…Just days earlier she had been threatened by Turkish intelligence." Her photographs and video footage disappeared along with her and were never published.


Here are some various links on the case:


Press TV correspondent Serena Shim killed near the Turkey-Syria border


U.S. not investigating Shim's death


Family members doubt Serena was killed in a normal car accident


No support or condolences over Serena's murder from U.S.

Family members "in anguish." Saying she sacrificed her life telling important truths. Ones Turkey, Washington, EU partners and regional rogue states want suppressed.

Her "father was speechless," said Press TV. Her friends explained her important work. How much it meant to her.

Telling Press TV viewers what they most need to know. Real news and information. Polar opposite scoundrel media rubbish.

“The United States will not touch Serena's story with a ten-foot pole citing they do not get involved in foreign murder investigations.

The possibility that this young reporter's death was politically-motivated and linked to her investigations on the link between Turkey supplying ISIS on the border should be thoroughly examined.

The possibly imminent fall of Kobane, Syria’s third largest Kurdish city, has electrified Turkey and is jeopardizing the peace process between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government and the PKK armed rebels. Demonstrations by Kurds, Islamists and nationalists in Turkey have led to clashes. As of today, protests are being held at the Turkish border because they now know that the great secular, democratic nation of Turkey is directly aiding ISIS fascists in order to crush the secular, left-wing Kurdish resistance.

The so-called accidental death of Press TV’s reporter Serena Shim must be fully investigated. However, we ask that this investigation be conducted by investigators from the United States. Turkey must grant investigators from the U.S. full access to all forensic evidence and the crime scene so as to assure there is no stifling of honest journalism and a full accounting is provided to Mrs. Shim’s family. Turkey does not have the credibility to provide such an investigation due to the threats on Ms. Shim's life by Turkish intel. Furthermore, we ask if needed and at the approval of the family a full autopsy be performed. The Turkey police stated Ms. Shim died at impact and later recanted and stated she died of a heart attack at the hospital. We are suspicious that a radio-frequency weapon, surveillance station/system was used to induce heart-attack or induce cardiac arrest ("the heart stopped") on Mrs. Shim to die as if by natural cause. The family of Serena deserve the truth about how Mrs. Shim died.


WE MUST HAVE JUSTICE FOR Serena Shim! We urge the ambassador of the United States to Turkey to launch there own independant full investigation into her death to shed all possible light on the murder of Serena Shim, an influential reporter from Press T.V. It is the The United States Of America's duty to ensure that this U.S. national is treated justly including in their death. As the diplomatic spokespersons we ask you call on Prime Minister Erdoğan to grant you full access to investigate the cause of this reporter’s death.


Thank you for your help in this urgent matter,


Concerned citzens from around the world


#JusticeforSerena  less

Update #19 years ago
Thank you to everyone who has signed the petition so far. Please share this petition widely. Please use the hashtag #justiceforserena on your twitters. Please share this petition on all of your social media accounts. We must keep this story in the spotlight and get Justice for Serena!
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