Wider margins for press freedom in Syria

“In Syria, a journalist living in Assad regime-controlled areas and writing for the opposition risked his life. At the same time, an opposition journalist writing for another platform was accused of ‘normalisation’. Texts were judged not by their content but by the name underneath them. We realised that there was no place where a journalist was first and foremost heard in, rather than ‘categorised’. So we created that place ourselves.” Says an editor and co-founder of Syrian journalism platform Sawt Suri. The editor chooses to remain anonymous because, according to him, his story is not just about one person, but applies to many.

Sawt Suri brings together Syrian journalists from different areas who publish under pseudonyms. Not just for security reasons, but on a principle: content must come before name. The platform was officially launched in 2020, following a series of meetings in Beirut in 2017. There, Syrian journalists from several countries gathered to discuss the state of the Syrian media and its ethical challenges. The central question was how journalism can maintain its meaning in a deeply divided society. From those discussions, the idea for the platform emerged.

Later, a UK expert from the FPU and other specialists were involved in drafting ethical and safety guidelines. From the beginning, security was considered an integral part of the editorial process. This included encryption, separate storage of data and clear guidelines for journalists in Syria on the protection of sources, material and interviews.

Pseudonyms

Gradually, pseudonyms became more than a means of protection for some authors: they grew into full-fledged professional identities. After the fall of Assad, some journalists decided to use their real names, while others deliberately continued to publish under their pseudonyms. The decision lies entirely with the journalist himself.

The platform operates in a context of limited funding and unstable resources. Moreover, the team faces a tired and distrustful public, in an online environment where hate speech and snap judgements dominate. As a result, building trust is a slow and layered process.

Nevertheless, Sawt Suri managed to strengthen its position. In 2021 and 2022, the platform was among the three nominees for the One World Media Award, selected from eighty-six entries. A recognition for ‘journalistic work built with limited resources but consistent professional standards’. After the fall of the regime, competition increased as international media organisations attracted many Syrian journalists.

Social support

The platform publishes political, social and human rights stories, with a particular focus on women, children, refugees and displaced people. After the 2023 earthquake, it brought stories from the affected areas, including that of a young woman who lost her family and is caring for her sister with disabilities. The publication led to widespread public support, enabling her to start a small project. An example of the impact journalism can have when it stays close to people, without overstepping its role.

The Sawt Suri editor: “The road to true press freedom in Syria is still long, but the margins today are considerably wider than before.” The current situation cannot be compared to the period under the Assad regime, one of the most repressive systems worldwide. Despite continuing difficulties, he sees the recent entry of several media organisations into Syria as a cautious but significant opening.

This article previously appeared in 360 Magazine.