On Saturday, the Free Media Union in North and East Syria, with other human rights organizations, demanded the release by the Syrian government’s security forces of the writer and journalist Bassam Safar.
On Thursday, security forces in Damascus arrested Bassam Safar, who works as an editor in the cultural section of North Press Agency. The Free Media Union in North and East Syria called on the relevant institutions in the areas under the Syrian government’s control to put pressure on the security forces to “immediately” release the journalist.
The human rights organization Berchav along with media institutions and freedom advocates called as well for the release of Safar.
On Friday, North Press Agency issued a statement condemning the arrest of Bassam Safar and considered it a flagrant violation of freedom of the press in Syria. The statement pointed out that the arrest came at a time when Syria has been at the top of human rights reports on violations of the rights of journalists.
North Press also calls on all press institutions and human rights organizations to join and demand the release of Safar and the stop of all violations against media workers.
The Communist Labor Party, to which Safar belongs, demanded in a statement Friday his release “immediately”, as well as the release of “all political detainees” in the prisons of the Syrian government.
The statement said: “This new arrest comes within the practices of the security forces against freedom of opinion, and the voices of the democratic opposition.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
