Syria

Syria is the most dangerous country in the world for reporters and yet, every day, hundreds of its citizens risk their lives to shoot photos, record video, and file reports on the civil conflict.

Safeguarding freedom of expression in Syria, protection of journalists and a free and independent media sector must be fundamental elements in any political process and settlement, says coalition of international media development organisations.

At least three citizen-journalists were among the approximately 50 detainees that the Jihadi group called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) massacred on 6 January before withdrawing from the Qadi Asqar district of Aleppo.

According to the information obtained by Reporters Without Borders, Magnus Falkehed and Niclas Hammarström, kidnapped on 23 November 2013, are currently in Lebanon.

The Jihadi group known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) has carried out violent attacks against news media and journalists in both Iraq and the so-called “liberated” areas of Syria.

Four Syrian activists abducted in the Damascus suburbs, apparently in relation to their humanitarian work, must be released immediately and unconditionally, 16 human rights organisations said on 11 December 2013.

The jihadi group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) kidnapped two Spanish journalists in Syria’s northern province of Raqqah on 16 September.

Iraqi freelance cameraman Yasser Faysal Al-Joumaili was abducted and murdered on 4 December 2013 in northern Syria by members of the Jihadi group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

The reported abduction of two Swedish journalists comes amid a string of kidnappings across Syria. Approximately 30 local and international journalists are currently missing, with several cases not being publicised at the request of family members and news outlets.

Organisations urge the Syrian government to not use the Anti-Terrorism Law or any other law to target human rights defenders, journalists, humanitarian workers and other peaceful activists. The Syrian government should also guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Syria are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

In the rush to provide necessary aid to those afflicted by the crisis in Syria, humanitarian organisations are overlooking a human right that also needs protecting: the right to privacy.

As the regular army intensifies its attacks on Aleppo, it is targeting Syrian media and news providers. A citizen journalist was shot dead by an army sniper yesterday and two news outlets were destroyed by army shelling recently.

International and local human rights organisations are calling on the Syrian authorities to immediately implement the UN General Assembly resolution and release immediately and unconditionally Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, and Hani Al-Zitani as well as all human rights defenders in Syria.

More than 110 news providers have been killed in the course of their work in Syria since March 2011 and more than 60 are currently detained, held hostage or missing.

Sky News Arabic reported Wednesday that it had not heard from its three-person crew since Tuesday morning [15 October 2013].

Nicolas Hénin, who regularly reports for French news magazine Le Point and Franco-German TV channel Arte, and Pierre Torres, a photographer covering local elections, were abducted by an unidentified group in Raqqa on June 22, the French Foreign Ministry said today in a statement.