© UNDP/J. Clark UN staff are supporting efforts to rebuild Syria’s infrastructure. UN experts: a prosperous future in Syria is impossible without guarantees of non-repetition of violence Peace and Security
A successful transition in Syria requires comprehensive accountability, inclusiveness and strong guarantees that gross human rights violations will not be repeated. Independent experts made this statement on Tuesday at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Presenting their latest report, members of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria noted the significant achievements that the country has achieved since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime almost two years ago. Among them are the creation of legislative bodies and a Constitutional Court.
The difficult path to recovery
Experts stressed that the formation of state institutions in Syria based on respect for human rights is not an easy task, especially when it is necessary to simultaneously overcome the consequences of past crimes and try to prevent their repetition in future.
The Commission’s mandate is to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law committed since March 2011, when the country began the deadly conflict under Assad’s decades-long authoritarian rule.
“A full understanding and investigation of not only long-standing violence, but also recent violence, is a necessary condition for national reconciliation,” said Commissioner Moniya Ammar.
She recalled the outbreaks of violence on the Syrian coast and in the western parts of the country in early 2025, in Suwayda in the summer of the same year, as well as the consequences of January clashes between government forces and the Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to her, after these events, hundreds of people are missing.
Problems of the transition period
Syria is in transition after more than a decade of civil war and systematic human rights violations. Experts welcomed continued engagement with the country’s new authorities, but warned that the trials carried out to date are not enough to restore justice.
They cited the impact of Israeli military activity on Syrian territory, challenges in bringing perpetrators to justice, limited civic space, the dire political and economic legacy of the conflict, gender-based violence, ongoing instability in Suwayda and the situation in detention facilities in Syria as the most serious challenges. northeast of the country.
The commission also expressed concern about reports of deaths in custody, arrests of social activists, the spread of hate speech and online harassment, as well as threats of violence against women, especially women human rights defenders and community leaders. more and more large-scale. These include ground operations, patrols, raids and searches that have already resulted in the displacement of civilians.
As of September, Israeli forces have detained 49 people in Syria, including two children, some of whom are being held incommunicado.
“We are deeply concerned about human rights violations and international humanitarian law committed by Israel on Syrian territory, which may amount to war crimes,” said Commission member Fionnuala Ni-Aolain.
Containment camps and the situation in the northeast of the country
The report pays special attention to the situation in northeast Syria. The commission is investigating alleged abuses during January clashes between Kurdish militias and government forces, including reports of detainees being killed.
Experts also expressed alarm over deteriorating conditions in camps where people suspected of links to the terrorist group ISIS are being held (Daesh).
The commission again called for the immediate closure of the Al-Rawj camp, which houses more than two thousand people, mostly women and children, and for the repatriation of all foreign nationals held in the camp.
According to experts, more than a hundred foreign children are still being held in northeast Syria, some of whom have been there since 2019.
In addition, the commissioners expressed serious concern that earlier this year more than 5,700 men and teenagers were forcibly transported to Iraq by US forces. They were reportedly from more than 60 nationalities, including Syrian nationals.
The need for international support
Finally, the Commission stressed that the UN Human Rights Council and the international community must continue to play an important role in supporting Syrian efforts to strengthen the rights protection system
“Syria’s new authorities will be able to meet the hopes of their people if they are able to overcome the legacy of years of violence and create a solid foundation based on respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms that will prevent the recurrence of similar tragedies in the future,” said Monia Ammar, confirming the Commission’s readiness to continue to assist the country during the transition period. transformations.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry into the Syrian Arab Republic was created by the UN Human Rights Council after the outbreak of unrest in March 2011, which subsequently escalated into a decades-long war. Members of the Commission work independently of the UN system, are not its employees and do not receive wages for their activities.