اخبار سوريا اليوم – وطن نيوز
سوريا اليوم – اخبار سوريا عاجل
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-05-10 23:44:00
The Syrian Journalists Association held a dialogue forum, with the participation of journalists, media professionals, and representatives of the Ministry of Information and independent media institutions, to discuss the reality of media freedoms in Syria and the challenges facing the media sector at the current stage, in addition to reviewing the most prominent transformations that the Syrian media scene has witnessed during the last two years. The forum, which was titled “Media Freedoms in Syria: The Climate of Freedom and Guarantees of Continuation,” and which Enab Baladi attended, turned into an open space for discussion between workers in the media sector and official bodies. During the forum, files on licensing, media legislation, union organization, the living and professional reality of journalists were discussed, in addition to the role of content creators and mechanisms for organizing media work in the new Syria. During the sessions, the participants confirmed that Syria witnessed political and institutional transformations in the years 2025 and 2026 that were clearly reflected in the margins of media freedom, with the decline of security restrictions and the expansion of the space for journalistic work compared to the years of the previous regime’s rule. However, the speakers stressed at the same time that these transformations still need a legal and institutional framework that guarantees their sustainability and prevents any future decline. Freedom Indicators Report: At the opening of the forum, the Syrian Journalists Association reviewed the highlights of its latest report on the Media Freedom Index in Syria, noting that the noticeable improvement in the reality of journalism cannot continue without clear legislation, organized union work, and independent institutions that defend the rights of journalists and workers in the media sector. The association stressed that the current legislative environment still needs broad reforms, explaining that many of the procedures related to media work have so far been issued in the form of administrative instructions and decisions, instead of integrated laws based on international standards for freedom of the press. The report also stressed the importance of establishing independent media unions and organizing union work in Syria, considering that talk of progress in media freedom indicators is incomplete in the absence of union institutions capable of protecting journalists and defending their professional and living rights. The report also addressed the relative improvement in the security environment, as monitoring operations showed a decrease in serious violations against journalists, such as arbitrary arrest and direct targeting, in addition to the improvement in the security services’ dealings with media professionals, which contributed to expanding the field work area and raising the level of press coverage inside Syria. Syria has made progress in the 2026 press freedom classification issued by Reporters Without Borders, recording the largest global jump after years of being classified among the ten worst countries in the world in terms of press freedom. Reporters Without Borders issued its annual ranking on press freedom for the year 2026, warning that media freedom has reached its lowest levels in 25 years. The classification issued on April 30 stated that more than half of the world’s countries (52.2%) now fall within the “difficult” or “extremely dangerous” region, which is a historical precedent since the launch of the classification in 2001, where the right to access information was eroded under the pressure of national security legislation and the criminalization of journalistic work. The absence of an institutional structure for media work. Member of the executive office of the “Syrian Journalists Association,” Mohieddin Abdel Razzaq, told Enab Baladi that the association has followed the political transformations since the beginning. The various changes that have occurred in the media sector, through meetings with media institutions, journalists, and government agencies, with the aim of monitoring the problems and challenges facing media professionals. Abdel Razzaq pointed out that the most prominent weaknesses are the absence of a clear institutional structure for media work, in addition to the need for legislative and regulatory reforms that include licenses, press cards, and organizing the work of media institutions. He also pointed out the state of chaos resulting from the expansion of the role of some content makers at the expense of professional journalistic work, considering that the absence of professional controls led to the emergence of problems and violations that affected the image of the Syrian media. Abdel Razzaq touched on the difficult living conditions that Syrian journalists suffer from, stressing that current salaries do not provide the minimum level of living stability, calling for improving the wages of workers in the media sector and ensuring their professional and social rights. 281 “Fake” media institutions For his part, the Director of Press Affairs at the Ministry of Information, Omar Haj Ahmed, gave a lengthy presentation on the reality of media licenses and the mechanisms for regulating the media sector in Syria, stressing that the Ministry is working to build a media environment based on transparency and institutional regulation. He explained that the number of licensed media institutions during the period of the previous regime amounted to about 430 over a period of 40 years, but the ministry discovered after reviewing the files that about 281 of them were “fake” or operated for non-media purposes, and some of them did not actually exist on the ground. He added that most of these institutions were part of publishing houses or publications that did not practice real media work. The Ministry has established new standards and procedures to organize the licensing file, while working to simplify the legal and administrative procedures, according to the Director of Press Affairs, pointing out that the period for obtaining a license has decreased from about 23 months previously to only between three and four months. He pointed out that the Ministry licensed about 471 media institutions during the year 2025 and the beginning of 2026, a number that exceeds the number of institutions that obtained licenses during the previous four decades. At the same time, there are more than 130 license applications that are still under study, while it turns out that a large percentage of them are merely paper applications that have not completed their legal procedures. An automated electronic application to facilitate media work. Speaking to Enab Baladi, Haj Ahmed revealed that the Ministry of Information is currently working on launching an electronic application for licenses, events, and media affairs, which allows electronic follow-up of applications and enhances transparency in procedures. He explained that the Ministry is currently working on developing an automated digital system that aims to reduce bureaucracy, enhance transparency, and ease administrative procedures related to the work of media institutions and journalists. He revealed that the ministry is in the final stages of launching the electronic application for press affairs services. He stated that the application will provide in its first phase about eight basic services, including obtaining a press card, media permits, and organizing attendance at events and conferences, provided that the scope of services will be expanded later, according to the needs of workers in the media sector. A press card for work, not membership. Haj Ahmed also revealed to Enab Baladi that the ministry has almost completed the experiment of launching a new press card granted for a year, explaining that it is “a work card, not a membership card,” and aims to facilitate journalists’ access to official events and reduce paperwork and traditional procedures. He added that the design of the card took into account a high level of technical security, by including a special barcode, a watermark, and advanced quality and printing standards, in addition to a special identification number (ID) for each card, ensuring ease of verifying its holder’s data and organizing journalistic work in a more professional manner. Freedom Index: An Important Starting Point The Director of Press Affairs, Omar Haj Ahmed, considered that the improvement achieved by Syria in the Press Freedom Index constitutes an “important starting point” towards achieving greater qualitative leaps in the field of press freedom during the next stage. He stressed the need to preserve the independence and professionalism of the media sector, and adopt self-regulatory mechanisms far from any form of traditional censorship. Haj Ahmed confirmed that the Ministry is moving towards adopting “post censorship” instead of prior censorship, explaining that the Ministry has not banned any book during the past months, except for limited cases that included hate speech or direct incitement. He also stressed that the Ministry believes in the principle of self-regulation of the media sector, and that the “Media Code of Conduct,” which was prepared with the participation of hundreds of journalists and media professionals, will be a professional framework for regulating media work, with an independent committee implementing it and following up on professional violations. The Ministry of Information has launched the Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct for the Media Sector in Syria 2026. This Code was presented as a standard reference aimed at regulating media work and promoting the principles of accuracy and professional responsibility. The Code seeks to regulate media work according to professional and ethical principles that balance freedom of expression and social responsibility, thus contributing to protecting the public interest and promoting civil peace. The Code also prohibits publishing or promoting hate speech or incitement to violence or sectarian or ethnic discrimination, stressing that the role of the media is to promote the values of coexistence and mutual respect among the components of society. Special Invitations and Content Creators With regard to content makers, Haj Ahmed explained that the Ministry does not consider them a substitute for professional journalists, but it is aware of the extent of their influence on public opinion, so a special annex was allocated to them within the Code of Media Conduct, with an emphasis on rejecting any content that includes hate speech, incitement to violence, or harming civil peace. Enab Baladi also raised the issue of special invitations to attend media events, questioning the mechanisms for selecting invitations, and the increasing focus on content creators at the expense of media institutions and journalists working in the field. In response to these criticisms, Haj Ahmed confirmed that the Ministry is working to develop a transparent electronic mechanism to organize invitations and registration for events, ensuring equal opportunities between different media institutions and limiting individual efforts in selecting participants. Listening to the problems of journalists and their solutions. The Syrian journalist and one of the attendees of the forum, Sonia Farah, told Enab Baladi that the forum provided an important space for discussion about the reality of the Syrian media and the challenges facing journalists. She considered that the first step towards developing the media sector begins with listening to the media professionals themselves and understanding the problems they face during their daily work. She added that many journalists constantly talk about professional and field obstacles, but their voices do not always reach the relevant authorities, stressing the importance of transforming these dialogues into practical steps and real reforms on the ground. Demands for establishing an independent media sector. The forum concluded by emphasizing the necessity of continuing dialogue between media institutions and official bodies, and working to develop the legal and professional environment for the Syrian media. This ensures freedom of the press, protects the rights of journalists, and establishes a more independent and professional media sector in the next stage. Resolution to Support Media Freedom The Congress of the International Federation of Journalists adopted a resolution to support and enable media freedom and the independence of union work in Syria. The decision taken at the general conference of the International Federation of Journalists, held in Paris, on May 7, as reported by the Syrian Journalists Association, included a set of practical items, which were: supporting Syrian journalists, enhancing the independence of union work, and enabling the Syrian Journalists Association to practice its professional activity inside Syria freely and independently. Recognizing the pluralism and independence of unions, as one of the basic indicators of the development of the media environment. Providing institutional and operational support to the Syrian Journalists Association, by the Union and its member unions, including the areas of training, building union structures, and enhancing professional protection for male and female journalists. Encouraging international and Arab unions to develop direct partnerships with the Association to support independent Syrian media. The importance of building a modern union model in Syria, based on independence, transparency, democracy, and the representation of journalists without discrimination, in line with the principles of media self-regulation and international standards for union work. The importance of continuing accountability efforts for the grave violations targeting Syrian journalists since 2011, including murders, disappearances, and torture, while emphasizing that ensuring no impunity represents an essential part of any real reform process for the media sector. Media freedom in Syria..not yet resolved Related
