UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on Monday voiced alarm at the killing of seven Syrian citizen journalists between 10 June and 4 July. The Director-General stressed the need for the authorities to investigate these cases and take steps to ensure the safety of journalists in Syria.
She condemned the deaths of Suhaib Dib, Mohamed Hamdo Hallaq, Samer Khalil Al-Sataleh, Ghias Khaled Al-Hmouria, Omar Al-Ghantawi, Ahmed Hamada and Khaled Al-Bakir, who lost their lives while covering events in Syria. "Their names are a regrettable addition to the all-too-long list of reporters killed on the line of duty. The free flow of information ensured by journalists - both professionals and citizen journalists - is an essential condition for democracy and for peaceful debate among citizens and their ability to do their work must be preserved," the UNESCO chief said in a press release.
In keeping with the United Nations Resolutions on Syria, she called on all parties to put an immediate end to bloodshed.
Suhaib Dib, a citizen journalist and an activist well-known in Damascus, is reported to have been the victim of a targeted killing on July 4 in the suburb of Al-Meliha.
Mohamed Hamdo Hallaq, also a citizen journalist, died during the shelling of the northern town of Azaz on July 2.
Reporters Without Borders confirmed the death of citizen journalist Samer Khalil Al-Sataleh during the June 28 shelling of Douma.
On June 25, citizen journalist Ghias Khaled Al-Hmouria was shot dead in Douma while filming an operation of the rebel Free Syrian Army.
Sniper fire claimed the life of 19 year-old Omar Al-Ghantawi, another citizen journalist on June 21. He was mortally wounded while filming the shelling of Homs.
Ahmed Hamada was killed by a sniper in Homs, five days earlier. The 26-year-old cameraman was shot while filming the shelling of the city.
On June 10, Khaled Al-Bakir, a citizen journalist also known as Abu Sliman, was killed by an artillery shell in the town of Al-Qassir, south of Homs.
In total at least 22 journalists, local and international, have been killed while covering events in Syria since the start of 2012.
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