Yesterday a journalist who spoke against the so-called Islamic State, and President Bashar al-Assad was assasinated in Turkey.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has said that Naji Jerf was shot dead in broad daylight outside a building that houses Syrian opposition news outlets.
As yet it is not known who was responsible for the shooting in Gaziantep, but it is said a silenced pistol was used.
Our movie director Naji Jerf "father of 2 kids" was assassinated by suppressor gun today in Gaziantep "#Turkey" pic.twitter.com/F3TFZyAwk9
— الرقة تذبح بصمت (@Raqqa_SL) December 27, 2015
The committee’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, Sherif Mansour, has said Turkish authorities must act.
He said:
“Syrian journalists who have fled to Turkey for their safety are not safe at all.”
Adding:
We call on Turkish authorities to bring the killers of Naji Jerf to justice swiftly and transparently, and to step up measures to protect all Syrian journalists on Turkish soil.”
Social media has since been awash with tributes, with many sharing a documentary created by Jerf that exposed human rights abuses perpetrated by ISIS.
Watch Syrian activist & filmmaker Naji Jerf's documentary on #ISIS crimes. Murdered today in #Gaziantep, #Turkey https://t.co/6BwTLAdBqX
— Joseph Willits (@josephwillits) December 27, 2015
#NajiJerf laid to rest. Murdered by #ISIS because he dared to tell the world about the horrors of IS & #Assad regime pic.twitter.com/qskWXlGhpN
— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) December 28, 2015
#pt Naji Jerf was a vocal critic of both ISIS & the Assad regime. He was also father to two beautiful little girls. pic.twitter.com/aUD1aMAXCB
— Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) December 27, 2015
Syrian journalist Naji Jerf allegedly assassinated by ISIS inside Turkey. The fourth journalist killed like this pic.twitter.com/Vfwl7l0Cko
— Molly Crabapple (@mollycrabapple) December 27, 2015
Jerf’s work will live on, and inspire the world to continue fighting against tyranny.
