A total of 211 journalists and citizen journalists have been killed in Syria since the start of the revolution in 2011, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Thursday.
RSF urged “all parties to the conflict to protect the journalists who cover it on the ground.”
The group pointed out that Syria has for years been the world’s deadliest country for journalists and citizen journalists, “who are caught between the Assad regime and its allies, Islamic State and many other radical Jihadi groups, and the Kurdish forces.”
“Acts of intimidation, arrests, kidnappings and murders are all frequent and constitute a gruesome tableau,” RSF added.
RSF noted that at least 26 journalists and citizen journalists are currently imprisoned, while at least 21 local and citizen journalists and 7 foreign journalists are either held hostage or missing in Syria.
Syria is ranked 177th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
The Syrian Center for Press Freedom said it had recorded no fewer than 485 violations against journalists and media workers in Syria up to May 2015. The Center said that 282 journalists were killed, including 22 under torture, while 111 more were detained. At least 59 journalists were injured, while 31 media centers were subjected to various kinds of attacks. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Agencies)
