The Syrian Future Movement commemorates with reverence this day, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to mark the anniversary of the historic Windhoek Declaration. The Syrian Future Movement views this date as a profound covenant linking freedom of expression with the dignity of peoples, emphasizing that stability in Syria cannot be achieved without establishing the values of media pluralism and the independence of the press.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms that the objectives of this international day—namely, assessing the state of press freedom and protecting journalists from attacks—are central to the Movement’s national program. According to Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 report, Syria made a significant leap, advancing 36 places to reach 141st globally.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that this development, while positive, is merely a first step on a long road toward escaping the classification of a “difficult environment” for journalism.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the figures in the Syrian Journalists Association’s reports for the first quarter of 2026, which documented only 11 violations, represent a significant decrease compared to the years of tyranny. However, they remain a warning sign that necessitates strict legal protection.
We emphasize the need to institutionalize “legal protection for journalists” as a priority in the new Syrian constitution to ensure a return to the era of silencing dissent.
The Syrian Future Movement stresses the necessity of activating the “right to access information” as a strategic objective for the transitional phase. According to recent economic studies, there is a 70% direct correlation between press freedom and attracting foreign investment and reconstruction.
We believe that investigative journalism is the necessary “scalpel” to eradicate corruption within the nascent state institutions.
The Syrian Future Movement believes in a future vision that will make Syria a regional center for media freedoms. It calls for the establishment of a national fund to support independent and emerging media institutions, ensuring their sustainability free from conditional political funding. The movement affirms that the “Syria of the future” will be a homeland where no one is imprisoned for their opinions, and where no honest pen is silenced.
Long live Syria, and long live the free press, a faithful guardian of our nascent democracy.
