Investigative Report
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR)
Background and Timeline
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) is a UK-based human rights monitoring organisation founded in May 2006 by Rami Abdulrahman (real name Ossama Suleiman). Operating from Abdulrahman’s home in Coventry, England, SOHR initially focused on documenting human rights conditions in Syria. When peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad erupted in March 2011 and escalated into conflict, SOHR quickly became a key source of on-the-ground information.
With most foreign media barred from Syria, international outlets turned to SOHR’s updates; by late 2011 it was being cited “by virtually every major news outlet” as a primary news source on the uprising.
Abdulrahman, working with a small network of contacts inside Syria, began logging casualties and abuses around the clock from his Coventry base, often surviving on only a few hours’ sleep.
Over the past 14 years of war, SOHR has systematically monitored and reported human rights abuses by all sides in the Syrian conflict. It documented government crackdowns, rebel infighting, extremist atrocities, sieges, and foreign interventions. SOHR’s running casualty tallies have provided a grim measure of the war’s toll: by early 2015, it estimated 210,000 people had been killed in Syria’s conflict.
As the war ground on, SOHR continued to update these figures; by the 13th anniversary of the uprising in 2024, it reported nearly 618,000 total deaths since 2011. These statistics include civilians, combatants on all sides, and victims of torture or detention — reflecting SOHR’s broad scope of documentation.
Credibility and Sourcing
SOHR’s credibility and methodology have been scrutinised over the years, and the evidence overwhelmingly indicates a reliable, impartial operation. Despite being essentially a small outfit (for much of the war it was run almost single-handedly by Rami Abdulrahman), SOHR has consistently demonstrated transparency in how it gathers and verifies information.
Abdulrahman describes his modus operandi simply as: “Document, verify, and publish“. In practice, this means SOHR relies on a wide network of contacts and activists inside Syria who report incidents, which are then cross-checked for accuracy.
For example, as early as 2011 Reuters noted that SOHR had become a crucial source on Syria’s unrest, at a time when foreign journalists were banned. The Guardian explicitly referred to the Observatory as “a credible source inside the country” when citing its conflict death toll.
AFP and AP reports have frequently relied on SOHR’s data — one AFP report described SOHR as “one of the few groups that has reported on violations by all sides in the conflict”, underlining its non-partisan approach.
This reputation for impartiality is reinforced by the fact that SOHR draws ire from all factions: “You know you’re doing a good job when all the sides start to attack you,” Abdulrahman quipped, noting that pro-Assad figures have accused him of rebel bias while some opposition supporters allege he’s too critical of them.
Post-HTS Takeover: Consistency of Reporting
On 8 December 2024, the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad fell in a stunning rebel offensive led by the Islamist coalition Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). As HTS and allied factions seized control of Damascus and declared a new interim government, the SOHR continued its monitoring uninterrupted.
The chaos of regime change did not slow the Observatory’s reporting; Abdulrahman was on the phone with contacts even as the rebels advanced. (He informed international media in real time that President Assad had fled the country by plane on 8 December, scooping many outlets on that development.)
In fact, some of SOHR’s most consequential reporting has come after HTS assumed power, as the organisation casts the same critical eye on Syria’s new rulers as it did on the prior regime.
A stark example is SOHR’s coverage of a wave of sectarian violence that erupted in early March 2025 in Syria’s coastal region. Following an anti-HTS insurgent attack by supporters of the ousted Assad regime, HTS-affiliated forces launched a brutal crackdown in the largely Alawite areas of Latakia and Tartus.
SOHR swiftly exposed the scale of the atrocities: over the span of 48 hours, more than 1,000 people were killed, the majority of them Alawite civilians. The Observatory’s sources reported entire families shot dead and villages ravaged.
HTS Rhetoric and Discreditation Efforts
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s attitude toward SOHR appeared to shift notably once HTS took power. While in insurgency HTS had little official engagement with SOHR (often tacitly accepting its war reports as useful against the Assad regime), as the de facto government HTS has grown increasingly hostile to SOHR’s scrutiny.
In the wake of the coastal massacres, HTS leaders and pro-HTS media began publicly denying or downplaying reports of atrocities and at times directly attacking SOHR’s credibility. For example, the new Syrian authorities (dominated by HTS) issued statements describing the mass killings on the coast as the result of isolated “individual violations” by uncontrolled local elements, rather than a systematic campaign — an attempt to deflect blame.
Beyond official statements, HTS and its supporters have waged a disinformation and smear campaign against the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights via state media outlets and social networks.
As SOHR revealed more details of the Alawite massacres, an online backlash from pro-HTS accounts accused SOHR of lying. Unfounded claims began circulating on HTS-linked Telegram channels and Twitter (X) that the Observatory was “circulating lies about massacres” and exaggerating what HTS termed the “so-called genocide” on the coast.
Cyberattacks and Online Harassment
In the past two weeks, coinciding with SOHR’s reporting on HTS-linked atrocities, the organisation has faced a surge of cyberattacks and coordinated online harassment. According to SOHR’s own statements, its website, servers, and social media accounts have been subjected to relentless attacks aimed at silencing its voice.
“We are shocked at the fierce systematic cyber attacks and smear campaigns against SOHR and its platforms,” the Observatory announced, noting that multiple SOHR online accounts were targeted simultaneously.
The suspected sources of these cyberattacks have been hinted at, though not officially confirmed. SOHR stated that “reliable sources” indicate the involvement of cyber-security teams based in an Arab state in orchestrating the campaign to falsify facts about the coastal genocide.
This strongly suggests a state-sponsored element to the attacks, rather than just random hacker groups. Observers have speculated that a country with ties to HTS’s leadership might be covertly assisting in cyber warfare to protect the new Syrian government’s image.
Strategic Outlook and Recommendations
Facing the twin challenges of a hostile regime in Syria and determined cyber assaults, SOHR must adopt a proactive strategy to safeguard its operations, credibility, and digital infrastructure. The following are forward-looking recommendations for how the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights can fortify itself in the current environment:
Bolster Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience
SOHR should immediately strengthen its technical defenses to withstand hacking and DDoS attacks. This includes using cloud-based DDoS protection services — for example, Google’s free Project Shield, which is specifically designed to defend news and human rights websites from denial-of-service attacks.
Maintain and Demonstrate Rigor in Sourcing
To protect its credibility, SOHR should continue its strict verification practices and consider making its methodology as transparent as safely possible. This might involve publishing periodic reports explaining how data is collected and cross-checked, and providing anonymised examples of source networks in different regions.
Public Advocacy and Exposure of Disinformation
To counter HTS’s rhetoric and smear campaigns, SOHR should actively engage in public advocacy about what is happening. This means not only reporting the facts, but also reporting on the efforts to cover up those facts. SOHR has already started doing this by publicising the cyberattacks and smears.
In conclusion, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights can continue to fulfill its crucial role by strengthening its cyber defences, standing firm on its principles of accurate reporting, and leveraging support from the wider human rights and technology communities. Fourteen years of steadfast monitoring have earned SOHR worldwide respect; with prudent measures, it can weather the current storm of threats and emerge even more robust.
Sources
Reuters — “Coventry — an unlikely home to prominent Syria activist”, 8 Dec 2011
The Times of Israel (Associated Press) — “The man tracking Syria’s war deaths — from Britain”, 20 Oct 2013
The Guardian — “Syrian refugees: 3.5 million people flee to neighbouring countries”, 11 Mar 2015
Reuters — “More than 1,000 killed in Syrian crackdown on Alawite region, war monitor says”, 8 Mar 2025
The Media Line — “‘No One Is Above the Law’: Syria’s Coastal Massacres Spark Calls for Justice”, 12 Mar 2025
Syria Observatory for Human Rights — Official statements (March 2025)
Syria SHOWS 