The Syrian Regime Extends its Brutal Crackdown to the News Media
Since last year, the brutal Syrian government has killed thousands of its own people for the crime of protesting the rule of dictator Bashar al-Assad. Not surprisingly, that same regime is also engaged in a systematic effort to smother the news media.
The Syrian regime has banned international journalists from entering the country and jailed local reporters who tried to cover the protests that have become known as the Syrian uprising.
And at least nine journalists have been killed while covering Syria since November, making it the most dangerous place for reporters on the planet right now, according to The Committee to Protect Journalists.
The government has "assaulted journalists, expelled foreign journalists, and disabled mobile phones, landlines, electricity, and the Internet in cities where the protests broke out. The regime also extracted passwords of social media sites from journalists by using violence, and defaced social networking pages, while the pro-government online group Syrian Electronic Army hacked social media sites and posted pro-regime comments," the CPJ said.
Some other examples:
• In November, cameraman Ferzat Jarban was found dead a day after being arrested for reporting on an anti-regime protest. He was the first journalist to be killed in Syria in connection with his work since CPJ began keeping detailed records in 1992.
• In February acclaimed reporter Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik were killed when their makeshift press center in Homs was struck during shelling of the city by Syrian forces.
• Al-Jazeera suspended its Damascus bureau after several of its journalists were harassed and received threats.
• Syrian government thugs beat up famed political cartoonist Ali Ferzat and left him bleeding on a roadside. Ferzat had been critical of the regime and the its crackdown.
• Two Turkish reporters have been missing for more than a month and are reportedly in government custody, and the regime has not revealed their whereabouts, conditions or any charges against them.
• At least five other journalists remain in prison after being arrested in 2011.
Most recently, the government detained at least 13 journalists and press freedom activists and in many cases the authorities have not revealed any information about their status.
Many of those being held were reportedly arrested when authorities raided the offices of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) in Damascus in February. The group had taken a lead role in reporting the killing and detaining of journalists since the uprising began.
The CPJ is calling on the regime to release these people immediately.
"Ever since the uprising began a year ago, the Syrian government has attempted to suppress coverage by sweeping up domestic journalists and excluding foreign reporters," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "The government must immediately release all journalists in its custody."
Citizen journalists have also been targeted. The CPJ says Ali Mahmoud Othman, who ran a makeshift media center, has remained in jail since his arrest in early April. The international media has heavily relied on footage shot by Othman and other citizen journalists. Authorities have not released any information on Othman.
The Syrian demonstrations began in January 2011 as part of a wave of uprisings across the Middle East that have come to be known as the Arab Spring. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Assad and an end to his government.
But while demonstrators succeeded in toppling dictatorial governments in Tunisia, Egypt and Tunisia, Assad has stubbornly clung to power and lashed out against his own people with the bloody crackdown. The United Nations and human rights groups estimated that more than 10,000 people have been killed in the ongoing violence.
Tens of thousands of protesters have been jailed and tens of thousands more have fled to Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Follow me on Facebook & Twitter
The Syrian regime has banned international journalists from entering the country and jailed local reporters who tried to cover the protests that have become known as the Syrian uprising.
And at least nine journalists have been killed while covering Syria since November, making it the most dangerous place for reporters on the planet right now, according to The Committee to Protect Journalists.
The government has "assaulted journalists, expelled foreign journalists, and disabled mobile phones, landlines, electricity, and the Internet in cities where the protests broke out. The regime also extracted passwords of social media sites from journalists by using violence, and defaced social networking pages, while the pro-government online group Syrian Electronic Army hacked social media sites and posted pro-regime comments," the CPJ said.
Some other examples:
• In November, cameraman Ferzat Jarban was found dead a day after being arrested for reporting on an anti-regime protest. He was the first journalist to be killed in Syria in connection with his work since CPJ began keeping detailed records in 1992.
• In February acclaimed reporter Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik were killed when their makeshift press center in Homs was struck during shelling of the city by Syrian forces.
• Al-Jazeera suspended its Damascus bureau after several of its journalists were harassed and received threats.
• Syrian government thugs beat up famed political cartoonist Ali Ferzat and left him bleeding on a roadside. Ferzat had been critical of the regime and the its crackdown.
• Two Turkish reporters have been missing for more than a month and are reportedly in government custody, and the regime has not revealed their whereabouts, conditions or any charges against them.
• At least five other journalists remain in prison after being arrested in 2011.
Most recently, the government detained at least 13 journalists and press freedom activists and in many cases the authorities have not revealed any information about their status.
Many of those being held were reportedly arrested when authorities raided the offices of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) in Damascus in February. The group had taken a lead role in reporting the killing and detaining of journalists since the uprising began.
The CPJ is calling on the regime to release these people immediately.
"Ever since the uprising began a year ago, the Syrian government has attempted to suppress coverage by sweeping up domestic journalists and excluding foreign reporters," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "The government must immediately release all journalists in its custody."
Citizen journalists have also been targeted. The CPJ says Ali Mahmoud Othman, who ran a makeshift media center, has remained in jail since his arrest in early April. The international media has heavily relied on footage shot by Othman and other citizen journalists. Authorities have not released any information on Othman.
The Syrian demonstrations began in January 2011 as part of a wave of uprisings across the Middle East that have come to be known as the Arab Spring. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Assad and an end to his government.
But while demonstrators succeeded in toppling dictatorial governments in Tunisia, Egypt and Tunisia, Assad has stubbornly clung to power and lashed out against his own people with the bloody crackdown. The United Nations and human rights groups estimated that more than 10,000 people have been killed in the ongoing violence.
Tens of thousands of protesters have been jailed and tens of thousands more have fled to Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Follow me on Facebook & Twitter
