16 Feb 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
The Syrian government has ordered text messages containing politically sensitive words to be blocked. Sources familiar with the country’s filtering system say that Irish technology is being used to prevent the delivery of text messages including words such as ” revolution” or “demonstration”. The country’s largest mobile phone company Syriatel Mobile Telecom SA have allegedly used blocking equipment from Cellusys Ltd, a privately-held company based in Dublin. Since public unrest in Syria erupted last year, text messages have been a crucial tool for protesters.
13 Feb 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Syrian journalist Mazhar Tayyara was killed by government forces’ fire in the city of Homs, a centre of the Syrian resistance against President Bashar al-Assad, on 4 February. Tayyara, a stringer for Agence France-Presse and other international news organisations, was reporting from the Homs neighbourhood of Al-Khaldiyeh when government forces shelled the area. The journalist sustained multiple severe injuries and died in hospital within hours.
11 Jan 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A journalist from France 2 TV was reportedly killed and another wounded today in an attack in the Syrian city of Homs. The rocket-propelled grenade blast killed journalist Gilles Jacquier during a pro-government rally, which also resulted in the deaths of eight civilians according to a state-owned television station. The attack came on the same day that a member of the Arab League group sent to monitor the country’s peace plan resigned, claiming the mission was a “farce”. According to the UN, 400 people have been killed in Syria since the humanitarian mission began in late December.
04 Jan 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A Syrian journalist with gunshot wounds in the head died on 2 January after three days in a Damascus hospital. Shukri Ahmed Ratib Abu Burghul was reportedly shot in the face deliberately on 30 December after hosting his weekly programme on Radio Damascus. Burghul was also deputy director of the censorship department of Al-Thawra, a state-owned newspaper.
