“Syria’s stolen children” investigation Shortlisted for the Sigma Awards 2026

The cross-border investigation “Syria’s Stolen Children” has been shortlisted for the Sigma Awards 2026, organized by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), one of the most prominent international awards recognizing data-driven investigative journalism.

The investigation was led by Lighthouse Reports in collaboration with several Arab and international media organizations, including the Syrian Investigative Reporting for Accountability Journalism (SIRAJ), alongside other media partners.

The investigation uncovered the role of Syrian intelligence services, as well as international institutions and global organizations, in the concealment and long-term separation of children of Syrian opposition figures from their families, within a complex context that spanned several years. The work relied on cross-border reporting and collaboration between multiple newsrooms to uncover the details of this sensitive case.

The investigation was produced with the participation of several international media outlets, including BBC, DER SPIEGEL, Women Who Won the War, and Trouw.

Being shortlisted for the Sigma Awards represents an important recognition of collaborative investigative journalism that highlights human rights issues and violations linked to the Syrian conflict, and reflects the importance of international cooperation in uncovering complex cross-border stories.