Publications
Here we share all our published work, including peer-reviewed academic papers, policy papers, and op-eds.
Newlines Institute (Research Paper), Karam Shaar and Caroline Rose (May 24, 2023)
Amphetamine-type stimulants, known as “captagon,” are flooding the Mediterranean-Gulf region, with a staggering 370 million pills seized in 2022 alone. The Syrian regime, led by Bashar al-Assad, is the primary sponsor of this drug trade, which adversely affects the health and security of consumer countries. This report presents the first comprehensive analysis of the regime’s narrative on narcotics, both domestically and internationally, comparing it with their actions on the ground. It examines 612 articles from the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) with “narcotics” in the title between 2015 and 2022, supplemented by data from Syria’s submissions to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), statements from regime officials, and death sentences related to narcotics. Additionally, we analyze existing literature and reported seizure announcements, focusing on 2021 and 2022, where the seizing authority identifies the origin of captagon shipments.
Middle East Institute, Karam Shaar (Op-ed) (Mar 17, 2023)
On Monday, the EU will hold an international donors’ conference in Brussels to raise funds for Turkey and Syria’s recovery from the devastating earthquakes that struck in early February. While Turkey’s foreign minister will speak before the pledging session, no one will represent or even speak on behalf of Syrians. We hope this op-ed conveys the feelings of at least some Syrians to the donors before making their pledges.
Atlantic Council (Op-ed), Karam Shaar and Said Dimashqi (Jan 13, 2023)
In this article for the Atlantic Council, Said Dimashqi and Dr Karam Shaar argue that a world where US sanctions on Syria have fewer humanitarian side effects and a stronger impact on the Assad regime does exist. They do so by highlighting the existing shortcomings in sanctions and what needs to be done.
OCCRP (Investigation), Karam Shaar, Rana Sabbagh, Lara Dihmis, Sami Shahrour, Alexander Dziadosz and Jacob Greenwald (Dec 9, 2022)
Syria’s recent licensing of a third mobile operator, Wafa Telecom, looked like another effort by the Assad regime to seize control of the few remaining profitable sectors in the country. In this Observatory of Political and Economic Networks-OCCRP joint investigation, we present evidence showing that Wafa Telecom is majority-owned by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) using a front company based in Malaysia. The investigation has been covered by other international media outlets such as Le Monde and Der Spiegel.
Foreign Policy (Op-ed), Karam Shaar, Gissou Nia and Celeste Kmiotek (Nov 23, 2022)
Justice is unattainable without evidence. This article highlights the lessons learned from Syria over the past 11 years in the fields of data harvesting, archiving, and open-source investigations of the evidence circulating online and how they can be helpful in bringing human rights abusers in Iran to justice.
