JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 19, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channel
NEW YORK - The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the killing of reporter Mustafa Salamah in Syria and urged all parties in the country's ongoing conflict to allow journalists to work freely and safely.
Salamah, who worked for the pro-Bashar al-Assad government satellite channel Sama TV, died July 16 after being injured covering clashes between the Syrian army and rebel groups in Quneitra province, according to his employer and the Syrian-government run news agency Sana.
Sama TV reported that Salamah was with coworkers on a hill overlooking the village of Masshara to cover the Syrian army's attempt to retake the area. According to Sama TV and the regional news website The New Arab, a shell landed nearby, critically injuring Salamah. The Quneitra province governor, Hamam Dibiyat, told Sama TV in a phone interview that Salamah died two hours after being injured.
Salamah's death comes amid concern for at least 70 journalists trapped in Quneitra and nearby areas who could face reprisal from the Syrian government as its forces advance on the last remaining rebel strongholds in the region, according to CPJ research. CPJ also reported this week on the death of Palestinian-Syrian photojournalist Niraz Saeed in government custody, underscoring the risks facing journalists there.
"Mustafa Salamah's death underscores that all journalists working in Syria, no matter what their affiliation, are in the gravest danger- especially in and around Quneitra as fighting there intensifies," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour from Washington, D.C. "All sides to this conflict must do their utmost to allow journalists to report safely on the conflict."
CPJ could not determine the source of the shell that fatally injured Salamah. Both Sama TV and Sana reported that it was fired by rebels formerly affiliated with the Islamist militant group Al-Nusra Front.
The New Arab reported that Syrian government forces were fighting the Free Syrian Army (FSA), an umbrella grouping of disparate rebel factions opposed to Assad, and that Salamah was killed, though the news website did not state that an FSA shell injured Salamah.
Syria is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. At the time of CPJ's most recent prison census, at least seven journalists were in Syrian state prisons; many others are missing. At least 120 journalists have been killed covering the Syrian conflict, according to CPJ research. – A CPJ News Alert/Photo: Reuters
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.