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FAQs

• About SIRAJ

  What is SIRAJ?

  SIRAJ (Syrian Investigative Reporting for Accountability Journalism) is a non-profit organization that publishes investigative reports on Syria and trains Syrian journalists in investigative journalism techniques.

  Founded in 2016, SIRAJ works with journalists, researchers, and activists to gather information, conduct interviews, and analyze open source intelligence (OSINT) data to produce high-quality, international-standard investigative reports. Through our investigations, we expose wrongdoing, document evidence of violations, and raise awareness about the human impact of conflicts and crises in Syria. We collaborate with local and international media outlets to amplify our findings and reach a wider audience.

  SIRAJ adheres to a code of ethics that includes minimizing harm to sources, protecting confidentiality when necessary, and maintaining the highest professional journalism standards, including rigorous fact-checking, verification of sources, and presenting information in an objective and unbiased manner.

  SIRAJ’s independent and reliable journalism is critical to ensuring that wrongdoing in Syria, despite the challenging circumstances, does not remain in the shadows.

  Why SIRAJ?

  SIRAJ launched at a critical time in the Syrian conflict when information needs were high. The consequences and realities of war had created wide gaps in coverage, even as Syrian journalists faced greater demand to cover the large number of violations that were occurring.

  Violations Syrians were and continue to endure include human rights violations in various forms, the seizure of individual property and real estate, and violations of the constitution. Economically, while the average Syrian suffers financially, corrupt businessmen have leveraged their power and influence to profit from the war. All of this is in addition to the systematic destruction of the environment and wildlife, the dismantling of society, and a 10-year-long refugee crisis.

  The situation has created an immense need for investigative journalism based on evidence and truth. SIRAJ was created to meet this need.

• What kind of content does SIRAJ produce?

  SIRAJ produces a variety of data-driven investigative stories and reports in written, audio, and video formats.

  SIRAJ believes that impactful investigative journalism should expose the truth of situations in a scientific and systematic manner, prove that violations occurred without leaning on emotional arguments, and provide such strong evidence that the truth cannot be denied.

• What are SIRAJ’s editorial values?

  The international standard for investigative journalism is to report on stories using strong evidence and the whole truth. Accordingly, SIRAJ upholds editorial values that it does not compromise on:

  • Integrity: We seek the truth and our stories are based on facts. SIRAJ and its team will never succumb to any political, financial, or social pressures. We ensure that our journalists have the comfort and freedom to publish their fact-based stories without interference.
  • Documentation: SIRAJ’s investigations are based on evidence and data, not on emotional experiences, bias, or preconceived notions.
  • Accuracy: Before publishing, SIRAJ’s investigations undergo extensive fact-checking in order to ensure that no false information or inaccurate context is included. All investigations are also subject to legal scrutiny before publication.
  • Public interest: SIRAJ highly values stories that have a public interest element or stand to improve the lives of a wide segment of society.
• How do we conduct our investigations?

  SIRAJ welcomes contributions and investigation ideas from Syrian journalists based both inside and outside of Syria. Ideas can be submitted to SIRAJ’s secure email, siraj.sy [@] proton.me

  Once an idea is submitted, the SIRAJ newsroom evaluates the idea and, if appropriate, begins to develop it further. This process can take up to two weeks. If an idea is accepted, a budget will be developed and risks against the journalist evaluated. If there are no issues, work on the investigation can begin.

  SIRAJ offers journalists it partners with funding for the investigation, idea development help, and technical, artistic, and editorial supervision, as well as help facilitating its publication on regional and global outlets in cooperation with SIRAJ’s publishing partners.

• Trainings & Fellowships

  What training does SIRAJ offer?

  SIRAJ offers investigative journalism training that includes training on topics such as verification and fact-checking, data journalism, advanced investigative techniques, digital security, and more.

  What is the SIRAJ Fellowship?

  In 2021, SIRAJ launched an annual fellowship program for Syrian women journalists located in Syria or the diaspora. The fellowship takes place over six months and includes both a theoretical part, including investigative journalism training, and a practical part, which includes joining the SIRAJ newsroom to produce an investigative report.
  SIRAJ specifically engages women through its fellowship because we believe that society is strongest when all members, regardless of gender, are able to help hold authorities accountable.

• What is SIRAJ’s code of conduct?

  SIRAJ’s code of conduct includes the following:

  • Physical safety first: SIRAJ believes that “no story on earth is worth a journalist’s life.” Accordingly, before working on any investigation, the journalist pitching their idea undergoes a “risk assessment exam.” Syria is one of the most dangerous environments for journalists and SIRAJ seeks to always ensure that its journalists are safe.
  • Diversity: SIRAJ believes in diversity and prohibits any discriminatory speech against sexual, religious, ethnic, and other minorities. SIRAJ also supports equality between men and women and seeks to keep a balanced roster of journalists.
  • Privacy: While working on investigative reports, sometimes very private information and documentation is shared with SIRAJ. SIRAJ operates with the utmost care to preserve sources’ privacy and personal space, including by securely disposing of all documents that do not serve the story. Sensitive materials that are used in investigations are stored securely for six months post-publication, after which they are permanently deleted to ensure data privacy. Further, SIRAJ prohibits collaborations with journalists who use sensitive and private information outside of the context of stories.
  • Public interest: Our primary priority in choosing investigations is to publish previously unreported stories that serve the public interest and improve people’s lives. Any investigations based on personal interests, revenge, or vengeance are excluded.
  • Independence: SIRAJ does not receive any conditional funding or funding from parties with political interests related to the geographical scope of our work. We do not accept any funding that could compromise our independence.
  • Verify information: Before publishing an investigation, SIRAJ conducts a final fact check to ensure that all information and data contained in the story is accurate.
  • Legality: SIRAJ has conducted more than 50 investigative investigations over the last six years. All investigations have been conducted fully lawfully and no lawsuit has ever been filed against SIRAJ.
  • Follow international codes of conduct for photos and videos: SIRAJ does not publish any photos, videos, recordings, or information belonging to any person without obtaining their permission. Further, SIRAJ deals sensitively with photos of children,as well as photos and videos that show people in a bloody or humiliating manner.
  • Abide by the rules of secret photography: Secret photography should be a last resort option when working on a story. If it must be utilized, the following tenets must be observed: (1) the person who was photographed must be given the right to respond; (2) the photo will contribute to a public interest; and (3) there is no defamation of public and private personalities, entities, and institutions.
  • Verify backgrounds of journalists we work with: Due to the uniqueness of the Syrian context, some Syrian journalists and activists have been involved in supporting or promoting discourse that encourages violence, repression, terrorism, and other types of violence. SIRAJ does not work with journalists who have supported or promoted these things.
  • Combat sexual harassment and assault: SIRAJ supports all efforts to combat sexual harassment and assault around the world. SIRAJ maintains a strict “zero tolerance” policy, which includes conducting a fair and transparent investigation, for any such violations reported within SIRAJ’s workspace, whether during the preparation of stories, training courses, fellowships, or collaborations.