The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) released a statement on World Press Freedom Day calling on the countries to fulfill their obligations with regard to the violations committed against the media outlets that suffer oppression and silencing.

SOHR reminded the world of “the Syrian conflict that is continuing as a hotbed for all the human rights violations, especially the breaches against the journalists and their coverage in all the disputed areas, relatively varied from a place to another, without any exception.”

The Observatory said, “On this occasion, it’s a duty to shed light on the journalists who sacrificed their lives to deliver the voice of truth in Syria. Still, the Syrian journalists are subjected to massive dangers while covering the news, and they are also working secretively over concerns of being targeted in all the areas of disputes.”

Since the beginning of the “Syrian Revolution” on March 15, 2011 to date, SOHR activists have documented the death of 748 Syrian journalists. Furthermore, 100 journalists were killed by ISIS and opposition rebel, Islamic and jihadi factions, and here is a quick breakdown:

- Rebel and Islamic factions killed 13 journalists.

-  HTS (Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham) killed 18 journalists.

-  ISIS was responsible for the killing of 74 journalists, including five foreign journalists as well as an activist worked for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

-  Also, 38 journalists have been abducted and forcibly disappeared in areas under the control of opposition factions and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham.

In regime-held areas, SOHR activists say that Al-Assad’s regime has been clamping down on and arresting Syrian as well as foreign journalists who criticize the regime, oppose its policy or go into issues of corruption.

“Regime forces and their proxy militias have killed 541 Syrian journalists and eight foreign journalists. Among the total number of journalists killed by the Syrian regime there were seven females as well as five SOHR activists killed in Latakia, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Damascus and Rif Dimashq; while 56 other journalists died under torture in regime prisons. Additionally, Russian aircraft have killed 29 Syrian journalists,” SOHR said.

 The statement by the Observatory added, “Despite the ongoing threats by all controlling powers, we, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, confirm that we will our workacross Syria, revealing violations against civilians wherever they are. We also renew our appeals to the international community and all international actors to intervene immediately and put an end to the Syrian conflict and the suffering of Syrian people, and call upon them not to abandon their responsibility and obligations to finding a lasting solution to the tragedy of millions of Syrians who have been grappling with chronic crises during Syria’s protracted war which has been raging for nearly a decade.”