The network calls for an investigation into the assault, accountability for those involved, and guarantees for journalists’ safety while carrying out their duties
The Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network condemned the physical assault against photojournalists Khalil Idris Khalil and Adel Adnan Mohammed on Friday, October 9, 2026, allegedly carried out by several participants in rallies supporting the Syrian interim government held in the city of Hasakah, while the two journalists were covering the event and preparing a report for Voice of America (VOA).
According to a statement issued by the network, journalist Khalil Idris Khalil told the network’s Office for Monitoring and Documenting Violations that he was interviewing one of the participants in the gathering about the protesters’ demands near Marsho Roundabout in Hasakah when he was struck from behind by one of the individuals. Other participants also directed racist remarks at him, including calling him a “Kurdish separatist” and saying, “There is no place for Kurds here,” while also describing the channel he works for as a “Kurdish channel,” apparently because the Voice of America (VOA) logo was visible on the microphone he was carrying.
Khalil added that his colleague Adel Adnan Mohammed was also assaulted and that an attempt was made to seize his camera, noting that several of the assailants were masked.
The statement said that members of the Internal Security Forces intervened and removed the two journalists from the site of the assault, forcing them to stop their media coverage and leave the area to ensure their safety.
The network stressed that assaulting journalists because of their national identity or the media organization they work for constitutes a “serious violation of press freedom and journalists’ safety” and an attempt to intimidate media workers and prevent them from carrying out their professional duties. It emphasized that targeting journalists while they are covering a public gathering “cannot be justified under any circumstances,” regardless of the nature of the gathering or the demands of its participants.
In the same context, the statement noted that journalists had circulated video clips and photographs allegedly documenting assaults against individuals and citizens’ property, as well as showing some participants brandishing bladed weapons, during gatherings that passed through neighborhoods and areas of the city with Kurdish-majority populations.
The network called for these incidents to be verified and investigated and for those responsible to be held accountable in accordance with the law. It also recalled that Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information.
The network also affirmed that international standards concerning the safety of journalists require the provision of a safe environment that enables them to perform their duties without threats, assault or intimidation.
The Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network called for a serious and transparent investigation into the assault against the two photojournalists, the identification of those involved and their prosecution in accordance with the law. It also called for ensuring journalists’ safety and protecting them from assaults and threats while carrying out their professional duties, as well as taking the necessary measures to prevent similar violations from recurring.
The network further called for respect for the right of journalists and media outlets to cover public gatherings and events without discrimination or targeting on the basis of national identity, affiliation or the media organization they work for. It also called for rejecting hate speech and nationalist incitement, protecting civil peace, and preventing political differences from turning into assaults against individuals and property.
The Freedom Center of the Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network stressed that protecting journalists “is not merely an individual responsibility, but a duty incumbent upon the relevant authorities and a shared responsibility that requires a clear stance from all forces and community actors who reject violence and discrimination.”
The network concluded its statement by affirming that “press freedom is a fundamental right” and that attacking journalists because of their work or identity “poses a threat to society’s right to know and undermines opportunities for coexistence and civil peace.”
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
