A new SCM study highlights the need for effective mechanisms to address widespread abuses against journalists in Syria.
This statement was originally published on scm.bz on 28 October 2024.
This report, Combating Impunity for Crimes and Human Rights Abuse Against Journalists in Syria, covers actual crimes, i.e. the perpetration of criminal offences against journalists, and legal and other actions which breach the human rights of journalists, most obviously their right to freedom of expression but also contributing human rights breaches such as a lack of due process protections during criminal cases. Many of the mechanisms which exist and which might be used to combat impunity for these actions have their own focused mandates. For example, mechanisms which exist under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) only cover actions which represented a breach of the rights it guarantees, namely a range of civil and political rights, while the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) only covers breaches of those rights of women which it recognises.
For purposes of this report, the notion of combating impunity is understood broadly to cover not only direct, legal mechanisms to combat impunity, of which only very limited options exist in relation to Syria. It also includes a wide range of mechanisms which allow for the highlighting and condemnation of crimes and human rights abuse against journalists, even if they do not provide for individual remedies or redress.
