Jarban, a
cameraman, was last seen being placed under arrest while he was filming an antigovernment
demonstration in the town of Al-Qasir on November 19, local press freedom
groups reported, citing witnesses. He was found dead the next day in
the middle of a main road in Al-Qasir, which is in the province of Homs. His
body was mutilated and his eyes were gouged out, a member of the opposition
Syrian revolutionary council in Homs told the London-based daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat. Al-Jazeera also reported the death, citing the
revolutionary council as its source.
Jarban was the
first journalist killed in Syria in connection to his work since CPJ started keeping
detailed records in 1992. The freelance cameraman filmed demonstrations and the
ensuing clashes with security forces in Homs and sent the footage to several
Arabic news networks, Al-Sharq al-Aswat reported.