Young Syrian press photographer killed in Aleppo
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 10 June 2016 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Young Syrian press photographer killed in Aleppo, 10 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5776564d4.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
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 residential neighbourhood of Al-Zebdyeh. He was inside an ambulance when it was itself hit by 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 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.
