Saving Syria’s Children: Freedom of Information request

On 26 January 2016 BBC Information Policy & Compliance rejected this request in its entirety. I have lodged an appeal with the Information Commissioner.

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foi@bbc.co.uk

14 January 2016

Dear Sir / Madam

Freedom of Information Request:

• Syria crisis: Incendiary bomb victims ‘like the walking dead’, BBC One, Ten O’clock News, 29 August 2013
• Syria: Agony of victims of ‘napalm-like’ school bombing, BBC One, Ten O’Clock News, 30 September 2013
• Panorama: Saving Syria’s Children, BBC One, 30 September 2013

I wish to request under the Freedom of Information Act the following documents relating to the September 2013 BBC One Panorama programme Saving Syria’s Children (SSC) and related BBC News reports.

1. All internal BBC communications, documents and reports relating to the commissioning, planning and production of SSC.
2. All subsequent internal BBC communications, documents and reports pertaining to SSC and related BBC News reports.
3. All internal BBC communications, documents and reports pertaining to complaints made by myself and others about SSC and related BBC News reports.
4. All video footage shot by Mohammed Abdullatif [1] of the aftermath of the alleged incendiary attack on “The Iqraa Institute“, Urm Al-Kubra, Aleppo, Syria, on 26 August 2013, sections of which were broadcast in SSC and related BBC News reports.
5. All footage and still images shot by members of the SSC team (including reporter Ian Pannell, cameraman Darren Conway and BBC News security personnel) on 26 August 2013, retaining time codes.
6. All footage and still images shot by members of the SSC team (including reporter Ian Pannell, cameraman Darren Conway and BBC News security personnel) on a subsequent visit to “The Iqraa Institute”, Urm Al-Kubra, Aleppo, Syria on 28 August 2013, retaining time codes.
7. All correspondence between BBC personnel and the personnel, executives and trustees of the charity Hand in Hand for Syria during the planning and production of SSC and all subsequent related correspondence.
8. All correspondence between BBC personnel and Dr Saleyha Ahsan during the planning and production of SSC and all subsequent related correspondence.
9. All correspondence between BBC personnel and SSC fixer/translator Mughira Al Sharif during the planning and production of SSC and all subsequent related correspondence.
10. Recordings or transcripts of interviews with members of the SSC team conducted by the BBC Trust Unit’s Independent Editorial Adviser (IEA). [2]
11. A recording or transcript of the IEA’s interview with freelance journalist Paul Adrian Raymond. [3]
12. All other recordings or transcripts, correspondence, documents and reports pertaining to investigations and deliberations at Stages 1, 2 and 3 of the BBC complaints process in respect of complaints made by myself and others about SSC and related BBC News reports.
13. All correspondence between BBC personnel, including SSC fixer/translator Mughira Al Sharif, and the Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital in Antakya, Turkey, relating to the SSC team’s attempts to secure permission to film inside the unit. [4]
14. All correspondence between the BBC’s Istanbul Producer and Turkish health officials relating to the SSC team’s attempts to secure permission to film inside the Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital. [5]
15. All correspondence between BBC personnel and Human Rights Watch (HRW) in respect of the alleged incidents of 26 August 2013, including the chain of correspondence between the BBC and HRW commencing on 29 August 2013 and any appended reports and the IEA’s correspondence with the Advocacy Director of HRW’s Arms Division. [6]
16. All correspondence between BBC personnel and UK and foreign state agencies relating to the planning and production of SSC and all subsequent related correspondence.

Yours faithfully

Robert Stuart
https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/

[1] Mr Abdullatif is identified as the cameraman by Ian Pannell at 3 minutes 25 seconds in this BBC World Service report https://soundcloud.com/bbc-world-service/another-horrific-attack-in-a

[2] https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/bbc-senior-editorial-complaints-advisers-decision-26-september-2014/

[3] https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/bbc-senior-editorial-complaints-advisers-decision-26-september-2014/

[4] https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/bbc-senior-editorial-complaints-advisers-decision-26-september-2014/

[5] https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/bbc-senior-editorial-complaints-advisers-decision-26-september-2014/

[6] https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/bbc-senior-editorial-complaints-advisers-decision-26-september-2014/

About Robert Stuart

Researching the 2013 BBC Panorama documentary Saving Syria's Children and associated BBC News reports.

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