Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has appealed for charges to be dropped against Mazen Darwish, the president of its partner organisation, the Syrian Centre for Media & Freedom of Expression, two days ahead of the verdict in his defamation trial on June 18.
Darwish, a journalist and human rights activist, was arrested on January 12 while covering violent clashes in the Damascus suburb of Adra and was held in custody for three days. He was taken before a military judge on March 17 after the Adra police chief laid a charge against him of “defaming and insulting the administrative body of the state”.
“Freedom of expression and pluralism of information remain a pipedream in Syria, as evidenced by the wave of arrests of journalists and human rights activists who focus attention on the repressive abuses of the Baathist regime," Paris-based RSF said.
The Syrian Centre for Media & Freedom of Expression, founded in December 2004, has never been recognised by the Damascus authorities. Without accreditation, its members have serious difficulties in carrying out their work. The Centre joined the RSF network of partnership organisations in December 2007.
Syrian President Bashar el-Assad is on the organisation’s list of press freedom ‘predators’. Seven journalists and cyber-dissidents are currently imprisoned in the country.
