Ignoring documented violations legitimizes incitement and hate speech

During the Kurdish celebration of Nowruz on March 20 and 21, 2026, Afrin witnessed attacks on Kurdish families and insults to Kurdish symbols during the festivities.

Journalists and media activists from Afrin issued a statement today regarding the violations, holding media outlets affiliated with the interim government and officials responsible for distorting facts and reinforcing incitement against Kurds.

The statement addressed several incidents, noting: “As journalists and media activists, we affirm that this media coverage does not reflect reality, ignores documented violations, and contributes to legitimizing incitement and hate speech instead of confronting it.”

In the published statement, they said:

“We, a group of journalists and media activists from the Afrin region, express our strong condemnation of the official and government media coverage of the events of March 20–21, 2026, and the accompanying attacks—documented by audio and video—against Kurdish civilians and the Kurdish flag in Afrin, along the Aleppo–Afrin road, and in the city of Aleppo.

This media coverage has clearly demonstrated a pattern of ignoring violations and even contributing to the escalation of inciting rhetoric, as we outline in the following points:

The Afrin Media Center, affiliated with the local administration, and the Media Directorate in Afrin failed to cover the attacks against Kurdish civilians and the Kurdish flag on March 20–21, while providing coverage of inciting groups that entered Afrin city center and presenting them as ‘residents of Afrin.’

Official government media, such as the Syrian Al-Ikhbariya channel and SANA news agency, ignored the attacks against Kurdish civilians and the Kurdish flag in Afrin, on the Aleppo–Afrin road, and in Aleppo, instead describing these movements as ‘popular protests’ expressing anger over the lowering of the Syrian flag in Kobani—despite the fact that the attacks in Afrin began before that incident.

Despite the presence of Aleppo Governorate’s Director of Media Relations, Moataz Khattab, in Afrin city center on March 21, 2026, and his publication of a video from the city, he did not address the violations taking place at the same time in full view of internal security forces, instead portraying the inciting movements as part of ‘popular anger.’

The statement issued by Aleppo Governor Azzam Gharib did not include any reference to the attacks against Kurdish civilians or the Kurdish flag in Afrin, the Aleppo–Afrin road, or Aleppo city; instead, it included thanks to the inciting groups for their ‘strong emotions,’ according to the statement released on March 21, 2026.

We, as journalists and media activists, affirm that such media coverage does not reflect reality, ignores documented violations, and contributes to legitimizing incitement and hate speech rather than confronting it.

We also call on relevant authorities and official media outlets to uphold their professional and ethical responsibilities, to convey the truth as it is, and to refrain from any rhetoric or coverage that could inflame tensions or justify violations.”

ANHA