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Syrian Journalists Association Calls for the Dissolution of the Regime-Run Journalists Union Following Its Call for a Media Meeting
As Syria continues to face the aftermath of the major humanitarian disaster caused by a regime of repression and tyranny, we are shocked by the call from the regime-affiliated Journalists Union to convene what they call a "Media Meeting" under the title “Victory of the Syrian Revolution and Media Responsibility,” scheduled for Monday, December 30.
This move is a painful mockery of the blood of martyrs and the sacrifices of Syrian journalists who have given their lives and freedom to convey the truth and defend the values of the revolution and freedom. This invitation also reflects a blatant disregard for the ethical and professional values that journalists and media institutions should uphold.
The regime's Journalists Union has proven to be nothing more than a tool for the regime, used to justify its crimes and disseminate propaganda, as documented by the Syrian Center for Freedom with conclusive evidence. Therefore, it cannot be considered a true representative of Syrian journalists; on the contrary, while Syria was seeking transformation, the Union's president exploited the concerns of Syrians to travel from Damascus to Cairo to attend a conference of the Egyptian Journalists' Syndicate, attempting to affirm the legitimacy of the former regime, without bothering to invite independent journalists, including the Syrian Journalists Association, despite the Association's attempts to contact him and stress the necessity of protecting all journalists in Syria.
In light of these developments, and based on the statutes of the Journalists Union, which state in Article 3 a commitment to “the goals of the Arab nation in unity, freedom, and socialism” according to the resolutions of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and Article 5, which emphasizes the use of media to promote socialist nationalist thought, the Syrian Journalists Association calls upon the Prime Minister, Mohammad Al-Bashir, to make a decision to dissolve the Journalists Union, as it is part of the system of oppression and corruption that must be completely dismantled to achieve justice and freedom for the Syrian people.
The current phase, which witnesses historic developments, especially after the decision to suspend the activities of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, requires the dissolution of all institutions associated with it, foremost among them the Syrian Journalists Union. Therefore, dissolving the Union is an urgent demand for all free journalists, particularly within the Syrian Journalists Association, which is committed to presenting a work plan for developing the media sector and organizing union work in Syria, in collaboration with other media bodies, in line with the Syrian Journalists' Code of Ethics, ensuring media independence while striving for freedom and responsibility.
