The Syrian Center for Journalistic Freedoms

Violations Documentation Methodology

 

We are working on documenting violations against media professionals and media centers in Syria, and those violations committed against Syrian media professionals

About the CenterReport the violation

Standards for Documenting Violations:

Documentation Standards

The Syrian Center for Journalistic Freedoms relies on documenting violations against journalists and media activists on specific standards in accordance with international laws and norms for the protection of journalists, that committed by various parties to the conflict inside and outside Syria, against Syrian journalists and media professionals, Seeks “accuracy”, “transparency” and “professionalism” in collecting, analyzing and placing information in its proper legal framework.

The Center proceeds in its work from its full belief in its duty to document violations that occur against media professionals and to defend media professionals To protect their future rights to reparation, and Criminals should not go unpunished. to Access to freedom and unguided media To achieve justice and equality in the future Syria.

1. Media Victims:

SCJF documents violations against media professionals in Syria, regardless of their nationality, gender, race, sect, the entity they work for/with, or their perpetrators. Additionally, it documents attacks on Syrian media professionals out of the country. The same applies to violations faced by offices, centers and media institutions. However, the Center does not publish violation news if the victim or their relatives request it.

2. Occurrence of violations during the media work:

SCJF documents violations against media professionals while performing their media jobs, whether they were directly or indirectly targeted.

3. Condition of Media Professionals linked to armed action:

SCJF refrains from documenting abuse of the media professional linked to an armed action

4. Media Professionals in the armed forces:

SCJF documents violations against armed forces’ media professionals, conditional to absence of armed action links, according to the previous standard.

The Center’s Mechanisms for Documenting Violations:

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1. Monitoring and follow-up:

The Syrian Center for Journalistic Freedoms’ researchers follow up with news on violations against media professionals in Syria nd post it on the Center’s closed Facebook page, in order to receive more details about it and follow up on developments.

The work team receives news of violations from Syrian Journalists Association members and volunteers on the SCJF page, from media professionals inside Syria,

in addition to media centers and various media outlets. The Center also receives news violations via e-mail on the Syrian Journalists Association site.

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2.Validating information:

Violation news is uploaded on a special “Google Document” for the Center’s researchers, in order to be informed of the developments concerning each case.

Researchers write down all information they receive and the investigation results they reach.

SCJF exerts efforts to verify the violation news in all possible investigation means.

Each case is checked and considered an open investigation of which material is to be gathered until verified.

3. Publishing violation news:

SCJF collects violation news that is verified within one month and publishes a summary of each case in a monthly report to be published at the beginning of the following month.

The Center sends its reports and statements to Association members for review and publishing, as well as publishing the news on the Syrian Journalists Association website and its pages.

Also, SCJF sends the reports to media outlets, press, and human rights organizations.

Each listed case in the monthly report should include: name of the media professional and their title (if any), violation date and place; perpetrator (organization/agency) name; targeting method, violation outcome and violation evidence – such as news links or testimonials received by the center that can be published.

4. Follow up and updates

SCJF may perform modifications to its findings in case of appearance of contradictory facts.

t will work on issuing a public clarification to correct the case if it turns out that there is a serious error in its documentation.

Meanwhile, the followed documentation mechanisms are to be developed through studying and follow-up of mechanisms followed by other organizations; and apply those suitable to the Center to facilitate development of its mechanisms.

Also, such development should occur through the Center’s researchers participating in training workshops.

Moreover, preparing a staff capable of research, and training this staff on how to prepare reports, as well as analysis of media messages through following research methodology and documentation of media outlets violations.

Download center reports

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The center aims to defend press freedoms in Syria, It works on documenting violations against media professionals and -centers, including those that occur against Syrian media professionals outside Syria.