Syria crisis: ‘Key priority’ is preserving evidence of crimes, say UN investigators
17 December 2024, 12:00
Geneva – Preserving evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Syria is a “key priority” and should be “placed at the forefront of the international response,” UN investigators have said.
In a new report, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic said that it had documented “a consistent pattern of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law” by all parties to the conflict.
The Commission said that it had identified “reasonable grounds to believe that the following crimes have been committed in Syria: war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.”
The Commission called on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or to establish an ad hoc tribunal to investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes under international law.
“The preservation of evidence is absolutely critical if we are to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable,” said Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission of Inquiry. “Without evidence, it will be impossible to build successful cases against those responsible for the most serious crimes.”
The Commission said that it had documented a number of specific incidents of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, including:
- The use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government in Ghouta in 2013
- The mass execution of civilians by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Palmyra in 2015
- The torture and ill-treatment of detainees by the Syrian government and its allies
- The indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas by all parties to the conflict
The Commission said that it was “deeply concerned” by the ongoing conflict in Syria and the “devastating impact” it was having on the civilian population.
“The Syrian people have endured unimaginable suffering,” said Pinheiro. “They deserve justice and accountability for the crimes that have been committed against them.”
The Commission’s report is based on a five-year investigation, which included interviews with over 1,000 victims and witnesses, as well as the analysis of documentary evidence.
The Commission said that it would continue to investigate the situation in Syria and would report its findings to the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
The Commission also called on all parties to the conflict to cooperate with its investigation and to provide access to all relevant information and evidence.
Syria crisis: ‘Key priority’ is preserving evidence of crimes, say UN investigators
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