The Syrian Media Union released a statement on Tuesday, strongly condemning the arrest of two media workers in Idleb by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faction. The journalists, Omar Nuzhat and Ali Nasrallah were detained while filming demonstrations by Hama residents demanding the release of detainees accused of belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir, who were previously arrested by HTS.
As per the statement, the General Security Agency of the HTS arrested Omar Nuzhat and Ali Nasrallah while they were documenting a peaceful civilian sit-in at the roundabout in the city of Sarmada on Wednesday afternoon.
During the arrest, General Security officers physically and psychologically assaulted the journalists, disregarding their press cards and press permits issued by the Ministry of Information in the Salvation Government, according to the union’s statement.
The Media Union described the act as shameful and a serious violation of press freedom and the work of journalists. They emphasized that it also breached the internal regulations set by the Salvation Government, to which the General Security is affiliated.
The Union called upon the Salvation Government and HTS to take appropriate action against those responsible for the attack, abide by their commitments, respect their decisions, and impose severe penalties on the perpetrators to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists in the liberated north.
The statement further stressed that the violation of press freedom poses a threat to the principles of human rights guaranteed by laws. It urged local authorities to uphold these principles in line with the goals, values, and principles of the Syrian revolution, which safeguard freedom of the press, opinion, and expression.
This article was translated and 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.
