Ethical Charter for Syrian Media concluded forum on “Investigative Journalism and Its Role in Promoting Integrity and Combating Corruption” in Gaziantep, southern Turkey, on Wednesday.
The forum was attended by 27 journalists from independent Syrian media outlets and Syrian civil society organizations. The agenda was spread across three main sessions, moderated by Ali Eid, editor-in-chief of Syria Indicator platform for Investigative Journalism. The final session included practical applications highlighting the intersections between civil society work and independent (investigative) journalism.
Discussions focused on the concept of investigative journalism and its role in promoting integrity and combating corruption. The forum also emphasized the importance of investigative journalism in strengthening democratic culture in society and how it can drive social change, improve governance quality, and foster respect for human rights and freedoms.
The first session addressed the concept and historical roots of investigative journalism, both globally and locally, particularly its emergence in Syria. Participants discussed the primary objectives of investigative journalism, various definitions, and its relationship with civil society, exploring how both can fight corruption.
In the second session, participants examined the relationship between journalism and integrity, with practical examples presented by the forum facilitator. The final session saw participants divided into two groups to discuss the intersections between civil society work and independent journalism. Each group identified key intersection points and described five common topics for collaboration between civil society and independent journalism.
Ali Eid emphasized the importance of investigative journalism and its role in societies. He stressed the necessity for collaboration between journalists and civil society organizations to achieve the objectives of any investigative endeavor, particularly in serving Syrian community issues.
Eid also pointed out the significant impact investigative journalism has in addressing corruption, noting that higher press freedom indices correlate with lower corruption levels. He remarked that the forum provided an excellent opportunity for independent Syrian media journalists to meet with civil society activists to discuss the critical role of journalism, especially investigative journalism, in promoting integrity and combating corruption.
He stated, “during the forum, there was an exchange of views and ideas, and mechanisms were explored to enhance the role of journalism in fighting corruption and to strengthen the connection between civil society organizations and journalists to achieve this common goal.”
Eid added that the topic is of great importance on a broader scale, as journalism plays a vital role in monitoring the performance of institutions, whether governmental or private, and all public affairs. Investigative journalism is crucial in uncovering corruption and highlighting imprudent practices in public administration, whether in economic, political, governance, or other fields.
He also pointed out two types of investigative journalism: accountability journalism, which follows issues of corruption, finance, and politics, and knowledge journalism, which addresses environmental issues. Sometimes, these two types intersect, as seen in human rights and democracy enhancement issues. From this perspective, all relevant topics were presented and discussed, along with the responsibilities that independent media, in collaboration with civil society, can indeed assume. Naturally, independent media is considered part of civil society in its mission to promote integrity and combat corruption.
Ahmad Elabsi, Chairman of ECSM, underscored the importance of the forum’s topic. He noted that the ECSM marked a significant shift this year with the launch of the Complaints Committee’s public reports, coinciding with various forums and training sessions aimed at enhancing the professionalism of media workers and equipping them with the necessary tools to uphold ethical journalism.
Ammar Alshaer, a member of the Syrian Journalists Association, highlighted the forum’s importance in brainstorming and dialogue, leading to practical proposals for investigative reports in Syria addressing major societal issues across different areas of influence.
Menar Elcemili, a Syrian student at Faculty of Media, Gaziantep University, said the forum broadened her understanding of investigative journalism and its relationship with combating corruption and promoting integrity. She noted that the forum featured case studies of investigative reports from Syria and other countries, with open discussions between the moderator and participants.
Journalist Hana Darwish described the forum as a valuable experience, particularly for those with limited knowledge of this type of journalism in the Arab community. She appreciated the forum’s discussions and wished for more time to delve into these topics.
Journalist Jehan Alkhalaf shared this sentiment, noting that the forum’s duration was short compared to the depth of its subject matter. She added that the discussions focused on one of the most prominent types of journalism, which highlighte the sources of corruption in its various degrees and names, and exposing it, noting that the forum provided new perspectives on the relationship between civil society and independent journalism.
