The U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia determined that the Syrian regime is civilly liable for the assassination of Marie Colvin. Marie was killed in February of 2012 in Homs and is one of the 126 journalists killed in Syria since 2011. The court found Marie was specifically targeted because of her profession, particularly for the purpose of silencing those reporting on the growing opposition movement in the country, and that a breach of international law occurred.

The United States seeks to shed light on abuses committed by the Assad regime, including the assassination of journalists. We continue to advocate against the arbitrary detention of civilians, push for effective mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable, and support the documentation and investigation of the Assad regime's crimes. We call on Russia to cease shielding the regime and to support international efforts for justice and accountability.