Syria: CFWIJ Calls Upon All Militant Groups To Release Journalists Immediately
Location: Syria, Idlib
Date: January 6, 2021
Syrian journalist and human rights defender Nour al-Shalo, who was detained by the militant group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was released on January 4. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) welcomes Nour's release and demands justice for all journalists who are unjustly detained and imprisoned.
According to Middle East Eye, a source close to Shalo sent a photo of the newly released activist. She said, "Detention date 19/09/2020, release date 4/1/2021. I'm fine, thank you, everyone".
Wafa Ali Mustafa from the Freedom Families organization, who campaigned against the disappearance and detention of Syrians, expressed her gratitude over the news.
Nour Al-Shalo is free & reunited with her family after more than 3 months of arbitrary arrest by #hts in #Syria.
— Wafa Ali Mustafa (@WafaMustafa9) January 4, 2021
Nour is an activist, a journalist, and a mother of three children.
Freedom for all detainees in all prisons! pic.twitter.com/DphvfKUZWW
HTS, which holds the majority of the opposition in north-western Syria, has detained many activists and journalists.
Journalist Nour was arrested in September 2020 over allegations of collaborating with international organizations by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. The journalist was arrested at the courthouse and moved to an undisclosed location. Neither her family nor her lawyer had access to her. The allegations against Nour were brought forth by the family of her ex-husband, whom she is fighting over custody of her children.
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham claimed that the journalist was involved in criminal and ethical cases and many other issues, pending interrogation. Nour’s mother stated to the press that she is concerned about her daughter’s destiny as she received news about Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham's intention to execute her. The news urged her family and friends to launch a social media campaign calling for her release.
On November 26, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham allowed journalists of Aleppo Media Coalition to meet with Nour Al-Shalo and interview her. This interview aimed to assure Nour’s family and friends of her wellbeing. Following the interview, Aleppo Coalition released a statement confirming Nour’s safety, promising that Nour’s family will be able to visit her soon. The statement also denied the news circulating about Nour’s looming execution and her rumored indictment for moral crimes, explaining that she was still pending interrogation in other cases.
In November, the social media campaign for Nour's release garnered worldwide attention to her case. Eventually, the journalist was released on January 4, 2021.
Nour regularly uses her platform to talk about the role of women in Syrian society. She draws attention to the importance of supporting Syrian women. In an interview last year, she said, “My work has enabled me to contribute to projects that support women professionally and intellectually. I can reach many marginalized women in society, whether they are widowed, divorced, or lost their husbands.”
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the detention of women journalists by militant groups for their coverage across MENA. We demand the immediate release of all journalists. Many female journalists are arbitrarily detained to be silenced, and some even mysteriously disappear. We call on the authorities to impose strict sanctions against these attacks on journalists.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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