Young Syrian press photographer killed in Aleppo
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is saddened to learn of 19-year-old Syrian press photographer Osama Jumaa’s death in the northern city of Aleppo on 5 June and deplores the fact that the violence of the conflict in Syria makes it impossible for journalists to work safely.
Employed by Images Live, a British photo agency, Osama Jumaa was injured while covering a Syrian government artillery bombardment of the Aleppo neighbourhood of Al-Mashad. He was inside an ambulance when it was hit by a shell that killed both him and the driver.
“We condemn bombardments by the Syrian regime’s army that target civilians, including journalists covering the conflict, and we remind all parties to the conflict that they are required by UN Security Council Resolution 2222 of 2015 and the Geneva Conventions to guarantee journalists’ safety,” said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF’s Middle East desk.
Jumaa was trained in war reporting by the International Photo Media agency, of which Images Live is an offshoot.
Images Live agency, issued a statement paying tribute to the “impartiality and independence” of Jumaa’s reporting. It said Jumaa had gone to Al-Zebdyeh to cover the provision of emergency services to the civilian population during the bombardment by the Syrian regular army.
Syria is one of the world’s deadliest countries for journalists. According to RSF’s tally, around 200 journalists and citizen-journalists have been killed since the start of the conflict in March 2011, four of them this year.
Last year, RSF appealed to the UN Security Council to refer war crimes against journalists in Syria and Iraq to the International Criminal Court.
Syria is ranked 177th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Middle East - North Africa
