The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria (CoI) has called on the new authorities in Damascus to protect mass grave sites and relevant documentation. The statement released Dec. 20 comes after the CoI visited former prisons and detention centers in the country, including the notorious Sednaya prison and Military Intelligence Branch 235 facility. This was the first such visit since the conflict began in 2011.
The team was dismayed to find that much evidence and documentation which could have helped families trace disappeared loved ones had been damaged, taken, or destroyed. In response, the CoI urged establishment of a specialized unit to coordinate the protection and preservation of such evidence.
Many national and international rights bodies and organizations have offered assistance to secure evidence and support the families of missing persons. The CoI emphasized its readiness to support the Syrian at “the critical juncture” in Syria’s history.
The Syrian Emergency Task Force advocacy group says it believes at least 100,000 bodies lie in a mass grave at al Qutayfah, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, with more such sites still being uncovered.
The CoI was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in Syria since the revolution broke out in March of that year. The commission has been documenting rights abuses and war crimes committed by all parties to the conflict, including the Syrian government, opposition groups, and extremist organizations.
A group of over 30 independent human rights experts, including UN special rapporteurs, has stressed the need for unified international support to ensure Syria’s transition is grounded in democratic principles and human rights. They emphasized that justice, reconciliation, and respect for Syria’s sovereignty are paramount to the country’s recovery following the fall of the Assad regime.
From JURIST, Dec. 21. Used with permission.
Note: There are efforts to bring war crimes charges against Bashar Assad.
Image: UNHCR
Syrian military official arrested for role in mass executions
Syria’s new revolutionary authorities on Dec. 26 announced the arrest of Mohammed Kanjo Hassan, a high-ranking military official accused of ordering mass executions at the notorious Sednaya prison during the regime of Bashar Assad. (Jurist)