Armed group kidnaps 'Orient' crew in Aleppo

  Unknown Armed group kidnapped the crew of Orient satellite Channel on Thursday in the countryside of Aleppo.

 Orients News-TV is know of its opposition to the Assad Regime since the beginning of Syrian revolution.

 Ghassan Aboud, Channel owner, posted on his face Book page that anonymous gunmen kidnapped Obeida Batal who work as a correspondent with the technical staff, Hossam Nazim Uddin  and Abboud Almoattaq, with their equipments and  broadcasting car yesterday morning in Tel Rifaat, north of Aleppo.

Abboud added that the photographer Aboud Haddad still kidnapped since weeks ago. He mentioned the two of the channel staff, Muhammad Moaz, as well as Hassan Barakat,  were killed in Damascus by the Assad regime.

Since the beginning of Syrian revolution till now, more than 20 members of Orient TV were killed in Syria with big amount of sound and filming equipments costing thousands of Dollars were taken away,  Aboud revealed.

 Cases of journalists going missing or being kidnapped have continued in recent months. In all, Reporters Without Borders is aware of a total of 15 cases of foreign journalists disappearing or being abducted in Syria. Ranked 176th out of 179 countries in the press freedom index that Reporters Without Borders released in January, Syria is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for media personnel. At least 24 journalists and 60 citizen-journalists have been killed by government or opposition forces since the start of the conflict in March 2011.

Zaman Alwasl assured its solidarity with the kidnapped colleagues, demanding their immediate release and prompt intervention of international bodies specialized in the defense of journalists around the world.

We quote here what Journalist Marie Colvin said before passing away in Homs 22 February 2012 by the Assad regime.

"We always have to ask ourselves whether the level of risk is worth the story. What is bravery, and what is bravado? Journalists covering combat shoulder great responsibilities and face difficult choices. Sometimes they pay the ultimate price."