Journalists Of Deir Ezzour express Solidarity With Journalist Muhammad Al-Saghir, Who has been Kidnapped By SDF Militia

DEIR EZZOUR, Jul.28, (ST)-The Journalists of Deir Ezzour Governorate staged a solidarity stand today, with the participation of official and civil parties, to demand the release of the correspondent of the Syrian Al-Ekhbariya channel, Muhammad al-Saghir, who has been kidnapped by the SDF since more than 3 years, after his health deteriorated as a result of the bad conditions of the kidnapping.

Head of the Professional Committee of the Union of Journalists in Deir Ezzor, Mamoun Al-Owaid, said in a statement to SANA reporter that continuing to kidnap the young colleague is an act far from morals, values and principles before it violates norms and laws, and comes within the framework of the continuous violations against media professionals and a desperate attempt to silence the voice of truth by the agents of the American occupation .

Al-Owaid called on the international community and international human rights organizations to take urgent action to pressure the SDF militia to release the young colleague immediately after his health deteriorated.

Head of the Radio and Television Center in Deir Ezzor, Musab Abu Al-Aish, stated that the SDF militia deals with al-Saghir’s file with great hatred after he exposed its practices during his work as a correspondent for Syrian Al-Ekhbariya channel and documented the theft of the island’s wealth  of oil, wheat and gas and the burning of the people’s crops. Today, he also reveals from his jail the truth and falsehood of the militia’s allegations.

The director of Tishreen newspaper’s office, Ammar Kamour, indicated that the case of the young colleague must reach the whole world, especially international and humanitarian organizations to work for his release due to the extremely difficult detention conditions and deteriorating health situation that affects his life, holding the SDF militia linked to the American occupation fully responsible for his health and life.

Sputnik correspondent Farouk Al-Mudahhi said that the kidnapping of al-Saghir is a clear violation of the rights of journalists and a confiscation of freedom of expression and violates all international covenants and laws, calling for his immediate release, especially as his health condition is deteriorating, which requires the international community and international organizations to intervene to liberate him.

The correspondent of Sama channel in Deir Ezzor, Muhammad al-Muhammad, indicated that the aim of this stand is to say, “We are all Muhammad al-Saghir, and we must raise our voices loudly to reach the international humanitarian organizations, which we hope will contribute to the liberation of the young colleague as soon as possible.”

It is noteworthy that the US-backed SDF militia kidnapped the colleague Muhammad al-Saghir in 2019 while covering the fabricated fires in the wheat fields in the Syrian Jazeera, and issued a false sentence against him to twenty years imprisonment based on trumped-up accusations. He faced all kinds of torture, intimidation and deprivation of health care in its prisons, which led to the deterioration of his health significantly.

Inas Abdulkareem