The Syrian Journalists’ Union (SJU), in cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), has launched its annual press freedom report. This registered 74 media rights violations in the country in 2023, a slight increase from the 68 reported in 2022. The IFJ welcomes the exhaustive work carried out by its affiliate, the SJU, condemns all attacks against journalists and calls on the Syrian government and all other groups to take concrete action to end the climate of violence and harassment against media workers in the country.
On August 23, a suspected drone attack near Qamishli city, in the de facto Autonomous Administration of North East Syria ruled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), killed driver Faisal Haj Sinan, an employee of Jin TV, a media organisation run by women journalists. Reporter Dalila Agid, who was working for the same outlet, was severely injured in the same attack. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the authorities of Türkiye to launch an immediate investigation and to hold the perpetrators accountable. The Federation restates the demand that journalists and media workers must not be targeted and they should be allowed to perform their work without interference.