Syria Crisis: ‘Key Priority’ Is Preserving Evidence of Crimes, Say UN Investigators
December 17, 2024
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 17 (Reuters) – A team of U.N. investigators urged the international community on Tuesday to make preserving evidence of war crimes in Syria a “key priority,” warning that vital information was being lost.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria (ICIIS) said in a report that it had documented “grave and systemic violations of international humanitarian law” by all sides in the conflict, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.
“The evidence of war crimes is growing, but we need to do more to ensure that it is preserved and accessible for future accountability,” said Paulo Pinheiro, the commission’s chair.
The report said that evidence of war crimes was being destroyed or concealed by all sides in the conflict, and that the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools, was becoming more widespread.
“We are deeply concerned that evidence of war crimes is being lost on a daily basis,” Pinheiro said. “This is a matter of the utmost urgency.”
The commission called on the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and urged all member states to support efforts to preserve evidence of war crimes.
The ICC is the world’s permanent court for prosecuting individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Syria is not a member of the ICC, but the Security Council can refer the situation in the country to the court for investigation and prosecution.
The commission’s report is based on interviews with more than 550 victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of satellite imagery and other evidence. The report documents war crimes committed by all sides in the conflict, including the Syrian government, rebel groups, and the Islamic State (IS) group.
The commission said that the Syrian government was responsible for the “overwhelming majority” of war crimes committed in the conflict, including the use of chemical weapons, torture, and arbitrary detention.
The commission also documented war crimes committed by rebel groups, including the use of child soldiers, summary executions, and forced displacement of civilians.
The commission said that IS was responsible for “heinous crimes” against civilians, including mass executions, sexual violence, and the destruction of cultural heritage.
The commission’s report is the latest in a long series of warnings about the deteriorating human rights situation in Syria. The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions of people displaced and in need of food, water, and medical care.
The international community has been unable to stop the conflict, and the U.N. has repeatedly called for a political solution to the crisis.
Additional Information
The ICIIS was established by the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2011 to investigate human rights violations in Syria. The commission is independent and impartial, and its members are appointed by the U.N. Secretary-General.
The ICIIS has documented war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations in Syria since the beginning of the conflict. The commission has also called on the international community to take action to stop the conflict and hold those responsible for war crimes accountable.
The ICC is a court of last resort. It can only prosecute individuals who are not being prosecuted by their own countries. The ICC can also prosecute individuals for crimes that are not covered by national laws.
The ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The court can issue arrest warrants, detain suspects, and impose sentences of up to life imprisonment.
The ICC is independent and impartial. The court is funded by the contributions of its member states.
Syria crisis: ‘Key priority’ is preserving evidence of crimes, say UN investigators
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