Activists : November bloodiest month for journalists in Syria

November was the bloodiest month for journalists in Syria in the 20-month uprising, with 13 reporters and citizen journalists killed, the pro-revolution Syrian Journalists Association announced on Friday. “This is a clear and serious indication that journalists and media workers are being targeted, by Syrian regime forces as well as three killed at the hands of the armed opposition,” the SJA said. Among those killed were Mustafa Kerman, who was fatally wounded in shelling in second city Aleppo on November 16. “Mustafa was killed by a shell while filming a (Friday) protest in Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood,” a Facebook page dedicated to the young man said. The following day, media activist Hassan Kaaka, was tortured to death in the Aleppo military intelligence branch, the SJA said, noting that two of his brothers had also been killed during the uprising. On November 18, citizen journalist Mohammed al-Khaled was killed by the Namr battalion of the Diraa al-Shahbaa rebel brigade in Aleppo city. “He was executed by a firing squad for his repeated criticism of some members of the Free Syrian Army.” Journalist Mohammed Quraytam, a peace activist, was killed in shelling on the town of Daraya outside Damascus on Thursday, according to the SJA. “Quraytam was working with Aynab Baladi newspaper and was an important activist in the peaceful movement. He had been imprisoned in 2003 for his civil society activities in Daraya,” it said. The association said 100 journalists and media activists have killed in Syria since the outbreak of the revolution. Reporters Without Borders, said at least 15 journalists and 41 citizen journalists have been killed in connection with their work since the start of the conflict.