Rights Monitor – “Human Rights Monitor Platform in Syria” – is deeply concerned about the campaigns of incitement and threats targeting a number of Kurdish journalists and activists in Syria through social media, by accounts affiliated with or close to supporters of the temporary authorities in the country, “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham”, or during protests organized by its supporters in Damascus and other areas against the Syrian Democratic Forces.
In recent days, the platform has observed the circulation of social media posts containing direct incitement against one Syrian Kurdish journalist, Lond Hussein, following his appearance on a program broadcast by Syrian News Channel (al-Ikhbariya al-Souriya). Banners were also raised in a demonstration in Damascus containing false allegations against a correspondent for an Arab TV channel, Naz al-Sayyed, and a correspondent for an international agency, Evan Haseeb, by linking them to military formations, in an attempt to involve their names in political and military issues.
Rights Monitor believes that this systematic campaign against Kurdish journalists and activists constitutes a clear violation of journalists’ rights and a direct threat to their physical and moral safety, as it contributes to creating a hostile environment that incites hatred and violence against them, at a time when the challenges and risks faced by media workers in Syria are increasing.
The platform strongly condemns these systematic campaigns targeting freedom of the press and expression and affirms its full solidarity with the targeted journalists and activists, as well as with all efforts aimed at protecting journalists from threats, blackmail, and defamation.
Rights Monitor – Human Rights Monitor Platform in Syria
