Human Rights Open Source Investigation Support

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (the Commission) was established by the Human Rights Council on 22 August 2011 through resolution S-17/1. Its mandate, which has been regularly extended, most recently for an additional year through resolution 61/3 (adopted by consensus in March 2026), is to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in Syria since March 2011, establish the facts and circumstances of serious violations, and identify perpetrators with a view to ensuring accountability. Over more than 14 years, the Commission has produced more than 60 public reports and papers, including 32 mandated reports translated into the six official languages of the United Nations. It has also conducted special inquiries into key events such as El-Houleh (2012), Aleppo (2016), eastern Ghouta (2018), and Idlib (2020), as well as on arbitrary detention. Since December 2024, the Commission has been granted access to Syria for the first time, enabling direct engagement with national authorities and institutions while maintaining full independence. In resolution 61/3, the Human Rights Council requested the Commission to: Present an oral update at the 63rd session (September 2026); Submit an updated report and provide an oral update at the 64th session (February–April 2027) during a joint interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Complement national efforts to meet international human rights obligations; Provide methodological advice and practical guidance to support Syrian national investigations and transitional justice processes (including to the National Commission for Transitional Justice) upon request and in coordination with relevant UN entities; Offer recommendations on technical assistance and capacity-building in human rights, accountability, and transitional justice.

The Online Volunteer will support the investigative team of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic at a critical transitional period. Following the Commission’s first access to Syria in December 2024 and the latest mandate renewal through Human Rights Council resolution 61/3 (March 2026), the Commission is balancing its core investigative mandate with growing support to Syrian national accountability and transitional justice efforts. The Online Volunteer assignment contributes directly to the preparation of the Commission’s upcoming report to the 57th regular session of the Human Rights Council. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has become an essential pillar of the Commission’s work, enabling the verification of incidents, documentation of violations, identification of patterns, and the generation of investigative leads in a complex information environment. Working closely with the Digital Investigator and other team members, the Online Volunteer will play an important role in monitoring fast-moving developments on Arabic-language social media (especially Telegram and X), Syrian civil society sources, and other public domains. The assignment offers a unique opportunity to: Gain practical, hands-on experience in professional open-source investigations within a UN human rights mechanism. Contribute meaningfully to international accountability efforts for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Syria. Develop specialized OSINT skills in line with OHCHR methodology while supporting both the Commission’s reporting obligations and its emerging advisory work with Syrian institutions. The assignment is ideal for a motivated and ambitious individual who is eager to learn, passionate about the Syrian context, and ready to take on responsibility in a small, high-impact team. It is a valuable entry point for those seeking to build a career in digital investigations, human rights documentation, or international justice mechanisms. This online assignment requires a high degree of self-discipline, reliability, and sensitivity when handling information related to victims and ongoing violations.

Under the direct supervision of the Digital Investigator and in close collaboration with other members of the investigative team (human rights officers, analysts, and legal advisors), the Online Volunteer will support with the following functions: Support the preparation of the Commission’s report to the 57th regular session of the Human Rights Council by assisting in all required open-source investigations, verification of incidents, and analysis of patterns of violations. Collect investigative leads from open sources: Monitor and collect information daily from Arabic-language social media platforms (primarily Telegram and X), Syrian and international human rights NGOs, media outlets, academic journals, and other public sources. Produce concise daily and weekly written monitoring reports (1–2 pages per day) highlighting relevant incidents, allegations, and leads (approximately 2–3 hours per day). Develop open-source investigation skills: Continuously build personal expertise in open-source intelligence (OSINT) methodologies relevant to allegations of violations of international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law, in line with OHCHR’s methodology and best practices (approximately 1–2 hours per week). Preserve and assess information and evidence: Assist in the secure preservation of collected open-source material in accordance with the Commission’s standards and protocols. Support the assessment of the credibility, reliability, and probative value of digital material (approximately 1–2 hours per week). Conduct substantive research and analysis: Carry out in-depth open-source research and analysis on one or more selected human rights issues or events relevant to the Commission’s mandate (total of approximately 10 hours across the assignment).