The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said that the PYD militia detained at least 16 media activists working for independent media outlets after raiding their places of residence in the city of Raqqa on charges of espionage.
The Network pointed out that the PYD militia is pursuing the same policy being pursued by the Assad regime with regard to arbitrary arrests. It added that the arrests are not taking place based on judicial warrants, stressing that the PYD militia is kidnapping media activists from roads, public markets, and the offices of media agencies.
The monitoring group expressed its concern that the detainees could be subjected to torture during the investigation, or be forcibly disappeared, as is the case with 85 percent of detainees who are prevented from communicating with their families or appointing a lawyer.
The Network said that some of the detainees were severely beaten and intimidated during the arrest.
In a separate report issued in late July, the Network said that the arbitrary arrests, forced recruitment, and suppression of freedoms seriously escalated in the areas under the control of the PYD militia. These violations reflected on various aspects of life as the freedom of the press and political activity considerably deteriorated in these areas.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) said that the PYD terrorist militia and the Assad regime are seeking to destabilize the liberated areas, which proves that the PYD militia is part of this criminal regime and is acting under its orders.
The SOC called for lifting the international cover off this militia, stopping all support for it, and holding it accountable for its grave violations against Syrian civilians.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
