Tech and Human Rights

Accountability for Russian crimes in Syria and Ukraine

Accountability for Russian crimes in Syria and Ukraine

Those who commit atrocity crimes – whether in Syria, Ukraine, or elsewhere – must be held accountable. But in the fog of war, it is difficult to know how to pursue justice.

Making Order out of Chaos – SJAC’s Open Source Methodology

Making Order out of Chaos – SJAC’s Open Source Methodology

Since 2012, SJAC has been working to document violations committed during the Syrian conflict. At the outset, it was largely an exercise in collecting information. But it was clear that

How Facebook Failed in Syria

How Facebook Failed in Syria

In October 2020, in the wake of the decapitation of the French high school teacher Samuel Paty, a Syrian user took to Facebook to praise the brutal murder. After SJAC

Bayanat: SJAC’s New Open-Source Database

Bayanat: SJAC’s New Open-Source Database

Social media data has the power to hold human rights violators accountable and to help victims’ families identify their loved ones. Likewise, the advent of the citizen-journalist has strengthened human

The Shadows of Surveillance: Government Documents Confirm Syrian Embassies Monitored Syrians Abroad

The Shadows of Surveillance: Government Documents Confirm Syrian Embassies Monitored Syrians Abroad

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SJAC's Database: How SJAC is Using Technology to Transform the Field of Human Rights Documentation

SJAC's Database: How SJAC is Using Technology to Transform the Field of Human Rights Documentation

The Syrian conflict has been documented by civilians and eyewitnesses at an unprecedented scale. Perpetrators, victims, and eye-witnesses have captured millions of videos and images, many of which have been

U.S. Discourages Export of Surveillance Technology to Human Rights Abusers

U.S. Discourages Export of Surveillance Technology to Human Rights Abusers

The U.S. government has urged exporters not to share surveillance technology with human rights abusers. Draft Guidance [https://www.state.gov/draft-u-s-government-guidance-for-the-export-of-surveillance-technology/] was issued by the Department of State

Russia’s Twitter Campaign: Influencing Perceptions of the Syrian Conflict

Russia’s Twitter Campaign: Influencing Perceptions of the Syrian Conflict

In the era of “fake news,” it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish falsehoods from reality, a problem that modern technology has only exacerbated. The Syrian conflict has fallen victim

Fast Company - Erasing History: YouTube’s Deletion Of Syria War Videos Concerns Human Rights Groups

Fast Company interviews Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) Legal and Strategy Analyst Shabnam Mojtahedi on how SJAC is attempting to preserve videos of violations in Syria before YouTube deletes

The Intercept - YouTube and Facebook are Removing Evidence of Atrocities, Jeopardizing Cases Against War Criminals

Avi Asher-Shapiro examines ongoing efforts by social media companies to remove images and videos that show evidence of atrocities in Syria and how it threatens the building of legal cases