Forced displacement and looting property of the journalists are the top press violations in 2020″Qamishlo 1/1/2021The Violations Documentation Office of the Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network issues its annual report, which comes as part of the contribution to defending press freedom and limiting violations against journalists And media institutions in the Kurdish regions in particular and in North-East Syria in general, and focus on the issue of impunity, especially from the conflict parties in the Syrian war that they do not distinguish between militants, civilians and journalists.the numbers of previous years proved that the violations increased exponentially with the military operations, due to the field media coverage on the one hand, and the protests and sit-ins condemning them on the other hand, which in most cases face being banned from media coverage.Not to mention the other violations that violate freedom of opinion and expression, and affect the rights that international laws have safeguarded in this regard for media professionals worldwide, such as arrest, detention, and physical beating up to the seizure of the journalistic toolsCompared to the previous years, The figures of the last year showed a decrease in the numbers of the violations against journalists and media media outlets in the region of the self administration in North- East Syria, which is under control of the Syrian Democratic Forces, while it increased in contrast in the areas occupied by Syrian national army pro-Turkey, especially in The cities of Afrin and Srê Kanyê / Ras al-Ain, and Tal Abyad / Girê Spi.Due to the continuing state of chaos and the requisition of the homes of many journalists and their forcible displacement from their homes and villages, the Violations Documentation Office in the network was unable to monitor and record the various violations committed in Afrin, Ras-Alien /Serkaniyê and Tal abayd/ Girê Spi due to the difficulty of accessing them due to the expected danger for any colleague entering the areas under the control of The radical factions, and this confirms that the decline in numbers does not mean in any way that the year 2020 witnessed an improvement in the media work, but rather because of the weak media coverage that was available and somewhat appropriate in previous years, especially the areas that witnessed several military operations with Turkish support.in its annual report on press freedom, Reporters Without Borders organization(RWB) , stated that the number of violations committed against journalists around the world has reached advanced levels, at least 387 journalists arrested around the world, RWB confirmed that Syria, Iraq and Yemen became the last strongholds of the journalists hostage in the world. Currently, although the organization believes in its report that the “Houthi militia” is ranked at the second level after the Islamic State “ISIS”, in targeting journalists in Yemen, the factions affiliated with the name of the “Syrian National Army” Pro Turkey were no less violating than both, and sometimes exceeded them if this was enumerated in whole Syria, Not only in North-East Syria.Many journalists in North-East Syria have received threats in various ways over the past years ago. And since its establishment, the Documentation Office in SKJN has adopted all attacks that are divided into (assassination, murder, threat, deportation, arbitrary expulsion, beatings, prevention from work, arrest without any legal basis, targeting Media outlet, and finally the confiscation of journalist tools) This classification is adopted by most violations monitoring centers in the world, while the Syrian case is also unique in forced displacement, detention and seizing the property of media workers by Syrian armed factions pro Turkey.For this reason, the Violations Documentation Office of the Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network, starting with its annual report since 2018, calls on all concerned parties in the regions of northeastern Syria to participate in developing a clear strategy to prevent violence against journalists, in order to provide a safe and appropriate environment for journalists, To form a true media interface that promotes freedom of the press according to what all international organizations are working on – and demanding – especially “Reporters Without Borders, the International Federation of Journalists and Committee to protect journalists”In the previous reports, we were faced with the violations committed by the bodies of the Autonomous Administration in North East Syria and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), and with the continuation of the Syrian conflict and Turkey’s intervention and its occupation of several Syrian cities, we have come before more than one party, especially the armed factions pro Turkey , which are acting under their direct orders. And because rights are not subject to a statute of limitations, and therefore none journalists, or media outlet that have been violated and Prejudice their rights in accordance with international human rights laws, have not been compensatedAs no party adhered to its legal responsibility to punish the violators, and this helped impunity for everyone, just as the newly formed local councils established by Turkish military operations do not have any strategy to defend the rights of media professionals violated during the occupation period by their affiliated groups.Unlike previous years, we will not split the report according to the type of violation. Rather, we will list the most recent cases – despite their decrease – and then the ongoing cases of various types of abuse.Accordingly, the Violations Documentation Office in the Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network documented 49 cases of violations last year, in the Kurdish cities and the rest areas in North-East Syria which is under control of Syrian democratic force, and the Kurdish cities which is occupied by Turkish army and Syrian factions affiliated it, In the next narration we will provide you with the names of the journalists who were subjected to violations during 2020 :-Bahaa Suleiman Al-Hussein who is working as a correspondent with Der-Alzor 24website , was attacked by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces on 5/2/2020, inside Der-Alzor Civil Council, in Al-Kasra district in the western countryside of Der-Azor. The monitoring office was unable to communicate withThe journalist who was subjected to abuse, but Der-Azor 24 website confirmed the incident.-On 1/4/2020, the Media Office of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria prevented the journalist Badrakhan Ahmed, who was working as a freelance journalist, from practicing media work throughout the validity period of the curfew decision in the regions of north and east Syria, on the pretext of publishing inaccurate news about the first registration case tested Coronavirus in the city of Qamishlo, northern Syria, and after twenty days the ban was canceled on the occasion of the Kurdish Press day, which falls on April 22 of each year.The suspension of Naz Al-Sayed, who works as a reporter for Al-Ghad channel, on 1/4/2020 by a formal decision from the media Office of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and preventing her from practicing media work for a period of three months, under the pretext that she committed multi offenses that offend the media, after twenty days The ban was canceled on the occasion of the Kurdish Press day, which falls on April 22 of each year.On 5/10/2020 The Media Office of the Autonomous Administration suspended Vivian Fattah, who is working as a correspondent in Rudaw Channel, and she banned from practicing media work for a period of 60 days, under the pretext of offending the feelings of the families of the martyrs. The documentation office of the Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network was Issued a detailed explanation of the incident when it happenedOn 5/15/2020, the Internal Security Forces / Asayish / Suspended Rengin Sharo who is working as a correspondent in Rudaw Channel, nearly two hours while she was preparing a report on the bread crisis and people standing in long lines in the city of Qamishlo.On 5/15/2020, the Internal Security Forces / Asayish / Suspended Anas Abo Zed who is working inRudaw channel, nearly two hours while he was filming a report on the bread crisis and people standing in long lines in the city of Qamishlo.On May 15, 2020, the Internal Security Forces / Asayish / Suspended Fahd Sabri director of the office of “Rudaw” channel in the city of Qamishlo, for nearly two hours while he was trying to intervene to release the Rudaw TV team held by the Internal Security Forces in front of one of the bread distribution centers in the city of Qamishlo.On 6/9/2020, the Aso News Network correspondent in Manbij was subjected to violence and attempted beating by some local civilian while he was conducting a report on the living conditions in the city.on 8/19/2020,The military court of the armed factions occupying the city of Afrin, issued a decision and sentenced media activist Mahmoud al-Dimashqi three months in prison for “contempt of the Syrian National Army on social media. The Military Police had detained him earlier for a period of four days, on May 18, 2020, on the same charge.SKJN monitored many cases of preventing filming by the Turkish, Russian and American patrols of journalists, and more than one colleague was subjected to harassment, The car of the journalist Badrakhan Ahmed was severely damaged after it was hit by an American vehicle.The pro-Turkish Syrian factions known as the “National Army” seized the homes and properties of some journalists in the city of Sere Kanye / Ras Al-Ain, and they were distributed among the families of the militants and some Iraqi families. The Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network was able to document the names of the journalists who had seized the factions of the National Army on their property.The home of the journalist, Sardar Mulla Darwish, general manager of the Aso news network.The house of the journalist Moheadin Isso, who works with many local, Arab and international websites. His house was transferred to a School for teaching the Holy Quran Preservation, in the presence of the governor of Urfa.Home of Rudi Saeed, a photographer of the “Reuters” news agencyThe house of the journalist Abdul Halim Suleiman, who is working as a correspondent in Independent newspaper in Arabic version.Home of the journalist Orhan Kemal, correspondent of the Ezdina websiteThe home of the journalist Alaa al-Rubaie, Who is working as a correspondent in Aso news network and an editor at the Ta Marbouta Foundation.The house of the journalist Ezzedine Saleh and a former correspondent for Arta FM.The home of Haitham Hagi, who is working a cameraman for the “Kurdistan 24” channel, and he subjected to direct threats and extortionThe house of the journalist Hassan Abdullah, who was former correspondent in KNN channel , who moved to Iraqi Kurdistan forcibly after he lost all his possessions, and the armed factions took all Family property.The home of Hussein Zaido, a former correspondent for both “KNN”Channel and “North-Press” agency, who also moved to Iraqi kurdistan Region forcibly after the armed factions seized all his propertyThe home of Journalist Hisham Arafat who is working with international media outlets and working as editor in English desk in kurdistan 24 channel.The “National Army” factions seized the house of our the journalist Radwan Rashid Othman “Radwan Bezar” and his family’s house in the city of Tal Abyad / Gire Spi, and handed them over to two families from Iraq and Idlib,The “National Army” factions transfer another house for the family in Susak village to a military headquarters.Radwan Bezar currently is working as a correspondent with channel ” Kurdistan 24 » channel, and has previously received several death threats and liquidation because of his journalistic work.Continuing forced displacement under threat of arrest and death by the “Syrian National Army” factions occupying Afrin for the following colleagues:Colleague Muhammad Blue, a former correspondent for “Kurdistan 24 and Rozana Radio” satellite channel, due to receiving threats from armed factions and seizing his home in Afrin, and he continues to receive threats of liquidation from Turkish accounts on an ongoing basis.The continuation of the forced escape of Jihad Abdo, correspondent of Hawar News Agency, from Afrin, after his life was in danger.The forcible transfer of colleague Roj Moussa, correspondent of Hawar News Agency, continues after receiving threats from militia members.The forcible transfer of our colleague Nowruz Rasho, the Voice of America correspondent, continues after receiving threats.The forcible displacement of colleague Ahmed Qatma, a former SMART correspondent, to Iraqi Kurdistan continues, due to his receiving threats from the factions.The forcible transfer of our colleague Ahmed Shafi ‘Bilal, who was working with a Russian news agency, continues.The forced displacement of our colleague Nourhat Hassan, correspondent of Hawar News Agency, continues.the forced displacement of fellow Seydou Ibo, correspondent of Hawar News Agency, continues.The continuation of the forced escape of our colleague, Fadwa Hamo, from Afrin, after her life was in danger.The forcible displacement of colleague Mazkin Corset, correspondent for “Ronahi” satellite channel, continues, and the seizure of her home.Journalist Jaafar Jafu, correspondent of Hawar News Agency, continues to be forcibly deported, and settlers have seized his home.The forcible displacement of our colleague Terrast Jodi, correspondent for Hawar News Agency, continues, and the seizure of his home.Journalist, Munther Sheikho, correspondent for “Ronahi” channel, was forcibly deported and his home confiscated.The network acknowledges with deep regret that the fate of our colleague “Farhad Hamo,” correspondent for the satellite channel “Rudaw” has been unknown for years, despite the fall of the last strongholds of the Islamic State in the town of Al-Baghouz in Deir Ezzor countryside, who was kidnapped by ISIS since December 15 / 2014 without accessing any information about it.The Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network believes that the media work law in the Autonomous Administration areas, despite its deficiencies, is not applied as required, which makes many institutions and correspondents suffer from difficulty in obtaining information and news, and puts them at the point of accusation when publishing any leaks even if they came correctFrom this point, the network stresses the need for the Media Department to pay attention to the proposals and opinions submitted to it throughout the previous period to make the necessary amendments to the media law, stressing that this is an important part of implementing international laws on journalistic work during conflictsArticle 79 of the Additional Protocol to the 1949 Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians in Military Conflicts states: “Civilian journalists who carry out their duties in areas of armed conflict must be respected and treated as civilians, and be protected from every form of intentional attack, provided they do not commit acts contrary to their civilian statusHere, it is necessary to recall the important resolution issued by the UN Security Council in 2006 under the number 1738, which affirmed the condemnation of deliberate attacks against journalists, media employees and individuals associated with them during armed conflicts, the equality, safety and security of journalists, and assisting crews in armed conflicts safely. Civilians there, and considering independent journalists and reporters as civilians, they should be respected and treated as suchAlso, considering the installations and equipment of the media as civilian objects that should not be the target of any attacks. Or any acts of revenge. These points make us use the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, according to which crimes against civilians and objects, which also include the headquarters of the media, are war crimes and crimes against humanity in accordance with the provisions of Articles Seven and EightOn the Syrian level as a whole, and after 10 years of the ongoing conflict, Syria is still one of the most dangerous countries around the world for journalists and media activists, as it carries out various forms of violations against journalists in Syria, which are classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity according to the Rome StatuteThe number of media professionals who have been documented killed since March 2011 increased to 459. In this way, it maintains that it remains on the Arab and international “blacklist” in the World Press Freedom Index for 2020, according to the reports of several international organizations, on top of which is the “Reporters Without Borders” organizationThe Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network is an independent media regulatory framework. It includes among its ranks Syrian Kurdish journalists inside and outside Syria. The network was established 3/10/2012 in its beginnings under the name “Union of Syrian Kurdish Journalists” in Qamishlo, after a group of Kurdish university students decided to; Graduates from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Damascus University; The necessity of promoting the Kurdish media reality and addressing the Syrian reality in general. And Kurdish in particular, with impartiality and professionalism, far from any political bias. Or partisanThe name was changed from union to network based on the decisions of the Fourth Conference held in 2020 with the approval of the majority of the members. Thus, the network depends, in preparing its annual report, on its members distributed in various regions, through specific standards in accordance with international laws and norms for the protection of journalistsWhich is committed by the various parties to the conflict in Syria, and by other parties and outside it, in addition to news and press reports published by local media at the moment of the violation, and monitoring and documentation centers for violations after analyzing and confirming them with professionalism and transparency, and sometimes resorting to testimonies given by the attacked journalistViolations Documentation Office in the Syrian Kurdish Journalists NetworkQamishlo 1/1/2021
