Transitional Justice: A Handbook for Journalists, Citizens and Activists

This handbook from the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) for journalists, citizens, and activists takes a look at how Syria could deal with issues of transitional justice when it emerges from the current period of conflict and instability. It has an accompanying video available below, on the IWPR website, and on YouTube. The handbook provides perspectives on the nature of transitional justice, how Syria could approach the issue, and what lessons can be learned from other regional countries.

According to the handbook: "Transitional justice is a process used by societies in transition to deal with past human rights and humanitarian law violations. These actions may be judicial or non-judicial....No two transitions are the same and no two transitional justice processes are the same. Countries do, however, look to the experience of others to learn lessons and see the positives and negatives of what processes were used elsewhere. Transitional justice mechanisms usually focus on five areas: truth, justice, reparations, reconciliation and guarantees of non-repetition. These processes may include criminal prosecutions, truth and reconciliation commissions, reparations programs, and ways to guarantee that such violations do not reoccur."

According to the author Alia Ahmed, social media have become important sources of news and information, and, "as the phenomenon of social media activism has spread, average citizens have become 'independent journalists'....News and social media play critical roles in spreading information throughout Syrian society. Social media also faces the challenge of filling the void of credible news content since mainstream news media has become highly politicized. While the conflict continues, it is important that social media promote the concepts of transitional justice, enabling Syria to find a future of peace and reconciliation."

Author Wael Sawah suggests that, though the deteriorating situation presents challenges to data collection, at some point, the repository of existing human rights violation data will be useful in the effort towards transitional justice; and, in the interim, data must be collected and safeguarded.


Contents:

• Introduction: A Quest for Justice / Mustafa Haid
• Transitional Justice is Key to Long-term Peace and Stability / Jeremy Sarkin
• Lessons Learned from MENA Transitional Justice / Marwan Maalouf
• Transitional Justice in Syria: Scenarios of Implementation / Mustafa Haid
• Options for Syria: Amnesty, Reparations and Compensation / Jeremy Sarkin
• Vulnerable Groups: Women at Risk / Mariam Abdullah
• Engaging the Public: Civil Society in Transitional Justice / Youssef Kanaan
• Transitional Justice: The Role of Social Media / Alia Ahmad
• Addressing Syria’s Enforced Disappearances / Radwan Ziadeh
• Impartial Justice Requires Documenting and Collecting Evidence / Wael Sawah
• Reforming the Syrian Justice System / Radwan Ziadeh
• Security Sector Reform in Post-Assad Syria / Wael Sawah