Cairo Septmber 9, 2012
ANHRI denounces, the detain Turkish photo-journalist “Junaid Unal” and the fabrication of charges against him.He was charged of belonging to an international terrorist organization. ANHRI calls the Syrian authorities to revile the place of the Jordanian journalist “Bashar Fahmi”, the reporter for Al-Hurra, who disappeared since entering the Syrian territory accompanied with Unal.

“Junaid Unal” and “Bashar Fahmi”, had entered the Syrian territory, legally through a crossing road on the Turkish-Syrian border, then they disappeared since last August 20. After calls for the Syrian authorities to disclose any information related to the journalists, the Ministry of Information issued a statement stressing that  “Bashar Fahmi” is not in Syria. On August 26 television channel belonging to the Syrian government broadcasted a video in which “Unal” confessed of belonging to an extremist international organization!

ANHRI said that “The appear of Unal in this video is just a new episode in the series of fabrication of spying charges  of belonging to a terrorist organization against the Syrians or foreigners journalists, reporters and human rights activists. They are detained unjustly, in a desperate attempt firstly to black-out the bloody suppression against the people of Syria in their revolt and secondly to convince the people that they are facing an external conspiracies”.

ANHRI expresses its deep concern due to the disappearance of the journalist “Bashar Fahmi”. ANHRI said that “The statement of the Syrian Ministry of Information is actually a failure to provide clear information about the place of Fahmi and his condition. It is proven that he has entered the Syrian territory and did not leave it until now. He was with Unal, who is currently in the hands of the Syrian authorities”.

ANHRI calls the Syrian authorities to quickly reveal the place of Fahmi and provide evidences for his safety. ANHRI also calls the international community to do its job of ensuring the protection of the journalists and the foreign correspondents working in the Syrian territory.