The Associated Press delivered an extraordinary piece of journalism with its exclusive, on-camera interview with a long-underground Syrian whistleblower whose clandestine smuggling operation exposed atrocities committed by Bashar Assad’s regime. The whistleblower, Ussama Uthman, played a pivotal role in compiling what became known as the Caesar Files — thousands of photographs documenting the torture and killing of detainees inside Syrian government facilities. His work ultimately helped spur U.S. sanctions and launch multiple international war crimes investigations.

On a tip from news director Abby Sewell, correspondent Sam McNeil traveled to France in May to attend a meeting that included Uthman, who had long operated in secrecy. Over the months that followed, McNeil earned Uthman’s trust and persuaded him to grant AP an in-depth, first-time, on-camera interview recounting the perilous effort carried out by him, his wife and his brother-in-law to smuggle the evidence out of Syria.

Conducted in northern France with videojournalist Mark Carlson and photographer Jean-Francois Badias, the interview demanded extensive security precautions due to the ongoing risk of retribution Uthman faces. The resulting story illuminated — in vivid, painful detail — the systemic brutality of Assad’s security apparatus and the human cost captured in the images Uthman helped extract.

The work resonated powerfully and arrived at a critical geopolitical moment, as Syria’s new leader, Ahmad...

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