PRESS RELEASE
Washington, DC - The Coalition for a Democratic Syria (CDS) stands with the family of journalist Marie Colvin in seeking justice against the Assad regime through a wrongful-death suit filed in U.S. Federal Court Saturday. In February 2012, Colvin and fellow journalist Remi Ochlik were deliberately tracked, targeted, and killed by Syrian government forces while reporting on human rights abuses from an opposition media center near Homs.
Colvin's family filed the suit against the Government of Syria in the United States. The suit contains compelling evidence that the Syrian regime assassinated Colvin for reporting attacks on civilians and "tarnishing" the image of the Syrian state. Barring an official Syrian state response to the claim, a default hearing will be held before the D.C. federal judge.
Colvin, who had bravely covered the world's most tragic conflicts since 1985, described her view from Homs as the "worst" conflict she had seen. She came to Syria as a correspondent for The Sunday Times to cover the plight of the Syrian people against the Assad regime, and was internationally recognized for her professionalism and bravery. Her live broadcasts on CNN, BBC, and Channel 4 directly challenged the Syrian government's claim that it was only bombing terrorists, instead exposing the chilling inhumanity the government pursued against Syrian civilians.
"Marie Colvin's work is a testament to journalism at its very best. She repeatedly risked her life to amplify the voices of the suffering. Her life was about presenting the real story where others shied away from it," said Dr. Basha, chairman of CDS. "The Syrian people are forever indebted to her."
This case not only seeks much-needed accountability for the tragedy of Colvin's death, but also opens the door for further prosecution of the Syrian government in national courts, shattering the regime's illusion of impunity and advancing justice in our time.
To honor Marie's legacy, the Colvin family established a memorial fund. More details can be found at http://mariecolvin.org/marie-colvin-memorial-fund/.