Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) strongly condemns the violent assault on a group of journalists in Suwayda, southern Syria, describing the incident as a flagrant violation of press freedom and a grave threat to fundamental human rights.

According to WJWC’s documentation, at least six journalists were subjected to armed intimidation, physical assault, and death threats on Sunday, May 4, while covering developments related to a local agreement between religious leaders and authorities. The assailants, identified as members of an armed group affiliated with the Druze community, intercepted the journalists en route to the scene, attacking them with weapons and verbal abuse.

Among the targeted media professionals were Mohammed Haroun (Al Arabiya, Al Hadath), Ibrahim Trissi (Al Araby), Moawiya Al-Atrash and Ahmed Fallaha (France 24 Arabic), Ammar Istifi and Amer Al-Asi

France 24 cameraman Ahmed Fallaha reported that gunmen opened fire on their vehicle and threatened them at gunpoint. “They stopped us in central Suwayda, threatened us with death, insulted us with degrading words, put a gun to my head, forced me out of the car, and fired shots next to me,” Fallaha wrote on Facebook. “Fortunately, a noble man from the city intervened to prevent them from harming us and ensured our safety until we completed our coverage.”

Similarly, journalist Ibrahim Trissi shared a photo with a local religious leader who helped protect them during the attack. “I stopped Sheikh Wajdi Shrayti on the road and told him we were being pursued and that they wanted to kill us… This man, along with other honorable men from Suwayda, saved our lives today,” Trissi wrote.

This violent incident occurred just one day after the global commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, underscoring the severe risks journalists continue to face in Syria—a country that remains among the most dangerous places in the world for media professionals. Syria is currently ranked 177th out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Index. Since 2011, an estimated 724 journalists have been killed and 486 forcibly disappeared, according to independent human rights monitors.

WJWC condemns this attack as part of the entrenched repression of journalists under the ousted Assad regime, which devastated Syria’s independent media and pushed it to the bottom of global press freedom rankings. The country now ranks 177th out of 180 in Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index, reflecting years of state-led censorship and impunity. Since 2011, at least 724 journalists have been killed and 486 forcibly disappeared, highlighting the brutal crackdown on press freedom. 

WJWC holds the local power structures in Suwayda—particularly figures associated with Hikmat Al-Hijri—fully responsible for this crime. The organization demands that judicial authorities in Syria launch an immediate and impartial investigation, identify the perpetrators, and ensure their prosecution in accordance with both domestic and international legal standards.

WJWC expresses its full solidarity with the journalists who were targeted in Suwayda and commends their courage in the face of armed intimidation. Their determination to document truth and serve the public interest reflects the highest ethical standards of journalism.

Women Journalists Without Chains affirms that press freedom is a fundamental pillar of democracy, not a privilege to be granted or revoked. Violence against journalists is not merely an assault on individuals—it is a direct attack on the public’s right to access independent and truthful information.

The organization reiterates its call for a safe, free, and inclusive media environment in Syria, where all journalists, regardless of gender, can perform their work without fear of violence, intimidation, or retaliation.