The Union of Journalists launches the 2022 Media Freedoms Report
On March 22nd, the Union of Journalists launched the Media Freedoms Report in Syria for the year 2022, which includes documenting the events and violations recorded against the Syrian media institutions and media professionals by the Israeli occupation in the occupied Golan and terrorist organizations.The event was held at the Assad National Library in Damascus.
The report documented the most important attacks and violations against freedom of the press and journalists, the reality of press freedom, indicators of impunity, in addition to the repercussions of the economic blockade on journalistic work in Syria during the past year.
The report indicated that 66 cases of violations were recorded during the year 2022, committed by the Israeli occupation in the occupied Syrian Golan.
The report talked about the violations of theAmerican occupation, “SDF” militia, the remnants of the “ISIS” terrorist organization, social networking sites and other parties, in addition to the unilateral economic coercive measures imposed by the United States of America and Western countries against Syria.
In this context, Raeda Waqaf, Vice Chairperson of the Union of Journalists, referred to a number of these violations documented in the report, and the violations ranged from arrest, kidnapping, absenteeism, torture and intimidation of journalists, depriving them of medical treatment and family visits, and the confiscation of journalists’ property and equipment, which were carried out by terrorist organizations and the “SDF” militia.
The report documented the ongoing violations against Syrian correspondents in the occupied Syrian Golan by the Israeli occupation.
The report also referred to the monitoring of bullying and defamation campaigns against journalists, in addition to following up on cases of summoning journalists on the background of information crimes based on personal allegations.
Waqf pointed out that the report also focused on the impact of the coercive measures imposed on Syria on the press institutions, which are no longer able to purchase media equipment and other necessities for work.
Member of the People’s Assembly (Parliament )and a member of the executive office of the Union of Journalists, Muhammad Khaled al-Shweiki, indicated that the Syrian legislation pertaining to job safety is well developed because it is consistent with the agreements, laws of United Nations organizations and protocols issued by the International Labor Organization.
The report concluded that the Federation renewed its call on the International Federation of Journalists to seek to lift the siege on Syria and the unilateral coercive measures, according to the decision taken at the 30th International Federation Congress held in Tunis in 2019.
The Chairman of the Union of Journalists, Musa Abdel Nour, explained the importance of this report, which is issued for the second time by the Union, because it was completed in cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists in accordance with international standards.
Abdel Nour pointed out the need for the journalist to be aware of the media legislative environment in order to be able to practice his work, while working to promote the positives in society, and to criticize with responsibility and a sense of patriotism without harming the other.
- al-Mohammad