The Syrian Ministry of Media announced the organization of entry procedures for foreign journalists and media professionals into the country, aiming to consolidate a safe and organized media environment. This comes in conjunction with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Committed against Journalists. The ministry facilitates visitors' access to the necessary licenses to practice their work legally, through an electronic system that ensures the rapid processing of requests.
Omar Ghazal, an official in the External Media Department at the Ministry of Media, clarified that the first phase of the procedures begins with filling out an electronic request via a dedicated link. This request includes the journalist's personal and professional information, accompanied by an official letter issued by the media institution they work for. The Directorate commits to processing the request within a period not exceeding one week, then sending the response to the journalist via email, whether approval or rejection.
Ghazal added that in case of approval, the journalist is granted an entry visa valid for one month from the date of issuance, allowing them to enter Syrian territory during this period. He also noted that upon arrival in Syria, the journalist must visit the External Media Directorate at the ministry to obtain a permit allowing them to practice journalism legally within the country.
Ghazal pointed out that the number of journalists granted entry visas to Syria since the liberation reached 2,387 journalists of various nationalities, while the number of foreign media outlets that submitted accreditation requests to the ministry reached approximately 110 outlets. The mechanism for accrediting a foreign media outlet involves sending information to the email address of the External Media Directorate, via an accreditation request bearing the institution's stamp and the signature of its director, along with a list of names of the persons requiring accreditation and their professional titles.
He explained that the media outlet is committed to submitting the required papers and documents to complete the accreditation procedures at the Correspondents' Department. After obtaining approval and completing the documents, the accreditation applicant pays the prescribed fees to be issued a press card issued by the ministry, valid for six months or one year, in addition to multiple entry visas throughout the accreditation period. These procedures come within the framework of enhancing media freedom and protecting those working in the journalistic field, in line with international commitments.
The UN General Assembly adopted in 2013 November 2 of each year as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Committed against Journalists, aiming to highlight the violations they face and call for ensuring accountability for those responsible.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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