Syrian citizen journalist Ruqia Hassan has been executed by Islamic State, confirmed anti-Isis activist group "Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently" (RBBS). She is being considered the first woman journalist to be murdered by the Islamist group for reporting from within Isis-held area.
Hassan, who had gone missing in August, had been accused of espionage by Isis, which is also referred to by its local acronym Daesh. Her last social media post came on 21 July, 2015.
RBBS founder Abu Mohammed tweeted Hassan's last words on social media: "I'm in Raqqa and I received death threats, and when Isis [arrests] me and kills me it's ok because they will cut my head and I have dignity its better than I live in humiliation with Isis [sic]."
Hassan, who used the pseudonym Nisan Ibrahim, would write about airstrikes and daily life in Raqqa, and was an active participant in anti-Isis and anti-Assad activities, reports The Guardian.
In one of her final posts, she criticised Daesh for shutting down Wi-Fi hotspots inside the city. The Independent quoted, via Syria Direct, her as saying: "Go ahead and cut off our Internet, our messenger pigeons won't complain."
Her family was informed about her execution by Isis on 2 January, reported The Independent via Al-Aan TV.
The report also conveys caution to those who she was in touch with through Facebook. It says her Facebook account is being used by Daesh to find those who she contacted inside and outside Isis-held territory.
Syria Direct, a journalism organisation, reported that Hassan was the fifth journalist killed by Daesh since October 2015.
