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The '''Syrian Observatory for Human Rights''' (also known as '''SOHR'''; {{lang-ar|المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان}}), founded in May 2006, is a UK-based information office that has been documenting [[human rights]] abuses in [[Syria]] which has focused since 2011 on the [[Syrian Civil War]]. It is frequently quoted by major news media, such as Voice of America, Reuters, BBC, CNN and National Public Radio, since the beginning of the uprising about daily numbers of deaths from all sides in the conflict<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.asianage.com/international/26-civilians-killed-syria-friday-observatory-467 |title= 26 civilians killed in Syria on Friday: Observatory |date= 18 February 2012 |accessdate= 11 June 2012 |work= [[The Asian Age]] |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/68LYlMtqM |archivedate= 11 June 2012 |deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref name=SOHR>{{cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/ |title=Syrian Observatory for Human Rights |publisher=Syriahr.com|accessdate=12 September 2012}}</ref> and civilians killed in airstrikes in Syria.<ref name=Reuters>{{Cite news |author= Abbas, Mohammed; Golovnina, Maria (editing) |url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/12/08/uk-britain-syria-idUKTRE7B71XG20111208 |title= Coventry – an unlikely home to prominent Syria activist |publisher= [[Reuters]] |date= 8 December 2011 |accessdate= 11 June 2012 |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/68LZFIQ5S |archivedate= 11 June 2012 |deadurl= no}}</ref>
The '''Syrian Observatory for Human Rights''' (also known as '''SOHR'''; {{lang-ar|المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان}}), founded in May 2006, is a UK-based information office that has been documenting [[human rights]] abuses in [[Syria]] which has focused since 2011 on the [[Syrian Civil War]]. It is frequently quoted by major news media, such as Voice of America, Reuters, BBC, CNN and National Public Radio, since the beginning of the uprising about daily numbers of deaths from all sides in the conflict<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.asianage.com/international/26-civilians-killed-syria-friday-observatory-467 |title= 26 civilians killed in Syria on Friday: Observatory |date= 18 February 2012 |accessdate= 11 June 2012 |work= [[The Asian Age]] |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/68LYlMtqM |archivedate= 11 June 2012 |deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref name=SOHR>{{cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/ |title=Syrian Observatory for Human Rights |publisher=Syriahr.com|accessdate=12 September 2012}}</ref> and civilians killed in airstrikes in Syria.<ref name=Reuters>{{Cite news |author= Abbas, Mohammed; Golovnina, Maria (editing) |url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/12/08/uk-britain-syria-idUKTRE7B71XG20111208 |title= Coventry – an unlikely home to prominent Syria activist |publisher= [[Reuters]] |date= 8 December 2011 |accessdate= 11 June 2012 |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/68LZFIQ5S |archivedate= 11 June 2012 |deadurl= no}}</ref>


==Organisation==
The news office is run from his home in [[Coventry]] by Rami Abdulrahman (sometimes referred to as Rami Abdul Rahman), a Syrian [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] Muslim who owns a clothes shop. Born Osama Suleiman, he adopted a pseudonym during his years of activism in Syria, and has used it publicly ever since.<ref name =NYT>{{cite news|title=A Very Busy Man Behind the Syrian Civil War’s Casualty Count|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/middleeast/the-man-behind-the-casualty-figures-in-syria.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|publisher=[[New York Times]]|date=9 April 2013|accessdate=31 May 2013}}</ref> After being imprisoned three times in Syria, Abdulrahman fled to the United Kingdom fearing a fourth jail term and has not returned since.<ref name=Reuters/>
The news office is run from his home in [[Coventry]] by Rami Abdulrahman (sometimes referred to as Rami Abdul Rahman), a Syrian [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] Muslim who owns a clothes shop. Born Osama Suleiman, he adopted a pseudonym during his years of activism in Syria, and has used it publicly ever since.<ref name =NYT>{{cite news|title=A Very Busy Man Behind the Syrian Civil War’s Casualty Count|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/middleeast/the-man-behind-the-casualty-figures-in-syria.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|publisher=[[New York Times]]|date=9 April 2013|accessdate=31 May 2013}}</ref> After being imprisoned three times in Syria, Abdulrahman fled to the United Kingdom fearing a fourth jail term and has not returned since.<ref name=Reuters/>


In a December 2011 interview with Reuters, Abdulrahman said the observatory has a network of more than 200 people and that six of his sources had been killed.<ref name=Reuters/> In 2012 [[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] described the organization as a one-man-operation with a single permanent worker, Rami Abdulrahman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/syrische-beobachtungsstelle-fuer-menschenrechte-ominoese-protokollanten-des-todes-1.1522443|title=Syrische Beobachtungsstelle für Menschenrechte: Ominöse Protokollanten des Todes|first=Jonas Schaible|last=London|date=1 November 2012|publisher=|accessdate=24 November 2016|via=Sueddeutsche.de}}</ref> In April 2013, ''[[The New York Times]]'' described him being on the phone all day every day with contacts in Syria, and relying on four men inside Syria who collate information from more than 230 activists, while checking all information himself.<ref name=NYT/>
In a December 2011 interview with Reuters, Abdulrahman said the observatory has a network of more than 200 people and that six of his sources had been killed.<ref name=Reuters/> In 2012 [[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] described the organization as a one-man-operation with a single permanent worker, Rami Abdulrahman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/syrische-beobachtungsstelle-fuer-menschenrechte-ominoese-protokollanten-des-todes-1.1522443|title=Syrische Beobachtungsstelle für Menschenrechte: Ominöse Protokollanten des Todes|first=Jonas Schaible|last=London|date=1 November 2012|publisher=|accessdate=24 November 2016|via=Sueddeutsche.de}}</ref> In April 2013, ''[[The New York Times]]'' described him being on the phone all day every day with contacts in Syria, and relying on four men inside Syria who collate information from more than 230 activists, while checking all information himself.<ref name=NYT/>

==Accuracy==
The UN, newspapers and nongovernmental organisations say that SOHR is an accurate source. “Generally, the information on the killings of civilians is very good, definitely one of the best, including the details on the conditions in which people were supposedly killed,” said Neil Sammonds, a Mideast researcher for Amnesty International.<ref name =NYT/>


SOHR has been accused of reporting militant anti-government fighters in dead civilians tolls,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mepc.org/journal/middle-east-policy-archives/syria-contextualized-numbers-game|title=Syria Contextualized: The Numbers Game - Middle East Policy Council|publisher=|accessdate=24 November 2016}}</ref> and has been described as being "pro-opposition".<ref>{{cite news|title=Report: Almost 6,000 Dead in Syria During Geneva Talks|url=http://world.time.com/2014/02/17/report-almost-6000-dead-in-syria-during-geneva-talks/|agency=TIME Magazine|date=17 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian civil war: Jabhat al-Nusra's massacre of Druze villagers shows they're just as nasty as Isis|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/syrian-civil-war-jabhat-al-nusras-massacre-of-druze-villagers-shows-the-group-is-just-as-nasty-as-10318348.html|agency=Independent|date=13 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian opposition group accuses rebel unit of torture|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-torture-idUSBRE9380VI20130409|agency=Reuters|date=9 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian rebels 'killed in army ambush near Damascus'|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-23600612|agency=BBC|date=7 August 2013}}</ref> Syrian President [[Bashar al-Assad]] is of the opinion that SOHR is a one man operation that acts as a front for spreading anti-governmental messages into western media.<ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian President interview with Russian reporter|url=http://eng.kurdistan-insider.com/syrian-president-interview-with-russian-reporter-october-12th-2016/|agency=Kurdistan Insider|date=12 October 2016}}</ref>
SOHR has been accused of reporting militant anti-government fighters in dead civilians tolls,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mepc.org/journal/middle-east-policy-archives/syria-contextualized-numbers-game|title=Syria Contextualized: The Numbers Game - Middle East Policy Council|publisher=|accessdate=24 November 2016}}</ref> and has been described as being "pro-opposition".<ref>{{cite news|title=Report: Almost 6,000 Dead in Syria During Geneva Talks|url=http://world.time.com/2014/02/17/report-almost-6000-dead-in-syria-during-geneva-talks/|agency=TIME Magazine|date=17 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian civil war: Jabhat al-Nusra's massacre of Druze villagers shows they're just as nasty as Isis|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/syrian-civil-war-jabhat-al-nusras-massacre-of-druze-villagers-shows-the-group-is-just-as-nasty-as-10318348.html|agency=Independent|date=13 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian opposition group accuses rebel unit of torture|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-torture-idUSBRE9380VI20130409|agency=Reuters|date=9 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian rebels 'killed in army ambush near Damascus'|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-23600612|agency=BBC|date=7 August 2013}}</ref> Syrian President [[Bashar al-Assad]] is of the opinion that SOHR is a one man operation that acts as a front for spreading anti-governmental messages into western media.<ref>{{cite news|title=Syrian President interview with Russian reporter|url=http://eng.kurdistan-insider.com/syrian-president-interview-with-russian-reporter-october-12th-2016/|agency=Kurdistan Insider|date=12 October 2016}}</ref>

Revision as of 11:18, 15 December 2016

"SOHR" redirects here. For other uses, see SOHR (disambiguation).
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR)
Template:Lang-ar
FoundedMay 2006 (2006-05)
FounderOsama Suleiman (Rami Abdulrahman)
TypeNGO
Legal statusNon profit
FocusHuman rights activism
Location
Official language
Arabic, English
OwnerOsama Suleiman (Rami Abdulrahman)
Websitewww.syriahr.com/en/

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (also known as SOHR; Template:Lang-ar), founded in May 2006, is a UK-based information office that has been documenting human rights abuses in Syria which has focused since 2011 on the Syrian Civil War. It is frequently quoted by major news media, such as Voice of America, Reuters, BBC, CNN and National Public Radio, since the beginning of the uprising about daily numbers of deaths from all sides in the conflict[1][2] and civilians killed in airstrikes in Syria.[3]

Organisation

The news office is run from his home in Coventry by Rami Abdulrahman (sometimes referred to as Rami Abdul Rahman), a Syrian Sunni Muslim who owns a clothes shop. Born Osama Suleiman, he adopted a pseudonym during his years of activism in Syria, and has used it publicly ever since.[4] After being imprisoned three times in Syria, Abdulrahman fled to the United Kingdom fearing a fourth jail term and has not returned since.[3]

In a December 2011 interview with Reuters, Abdulrahman said the observatory has a network of more than 200 people and that six of his sources had been killed.[3] In 2012 Süddeutsche Zeitung described the organization as a one-man-operation with a single permanent worker, Rami Abdulrahman.[5] In April 2013, The New York Times described him being on the phone all day every day with contacts in Syria, and relying on four men inside Syria who collate information from more than 230 activists, while checking all information himself.[4]

Accuracy

The UN, newspapers and nongovernmental organisations say that SOHR is an accurate source. “Generally, the information on the killings of civilians is very good, definitely one of the best, including the details on the conditions in which people were supposedly killed,” said Neil Sammonds, a Mideast researcher for Amnesty International.[4]

SOHR has been accused of reporting militant anti-government fighters in dead civilians tolls,[6] and has been described as being "pro-opposition".[7][8][9][10] Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is of the opinion that SOHR is a one man operation that acts as a front for spreading anti-governmental messages into western media.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "26 civilians killed in Syria on Friday: Observatory". The Asian Age. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Syrian Observatory for Human Rights". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Abbas, Mohammed; Golovnina, Maria (editing) (8 December 2011). "Coventry – an unlikely home to prominent Syria activist". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c "A Very Busy Man Behind the Syrian Civil War's Casualty Count". New York Times. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  5. ^ London, Jonas Schaible (1 November 2012). "Syrische Beobachtungsstelle für Menschenrechte: Ominöse Protokollanten des Todes". Retrieved 24 November 2016 – via Sueddeutsche.de.
  6. ^ "Syria Contextualized: The Numbers Game - Middle East Policy Council". Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Report: Almost 6,000 Dead in Syria During Geneva Talks". TIME Magazine. 17 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Syrian civil war: Jabhat al-Nusra's massacre of Druze villagers shows they're just as nasty as Isis". Independent. 13 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Syrian opposition group accuses rebel unit of torture". Reuters. 9 April 2013.
  10. ^ "Syrian rebels 'killed in army ambush near Damascus'". BBC. 7 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Syrian President interview with Russian reporter". Kurdistan Insider. 12 October 2016.
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