UN rights chief in historic meeting in Syria with caretaker authority in Damascus
January 15, 2025
Damascus, Syria – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has met with the caretaker authority in Damascus in a historic meeting aimed at addressing the ongoing human rights crisis in Syria.
In a statement released after the meeting, Türk said that he had “constructive and open” discussions with the caretaker authority on a range of human rights issues, including the arbitrary detention of political prisoners, enforced disappearances, and the use of torture.
Türk said that he was “particularly concerned” about the ongoing detention of thousands of political prisoners, including human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society activists. He called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and for an end to the practice of arbitrary detention.
Türk also expressed concern about the continued use of torture in Syria, both by government forces and by opposition groups. He called for an end to the use of torture and for the perpetrators of torture to be held accountable.
The caretaker authority welcomed Türk’s visit and said that it was committed to working with the UN to improve human rights in Syria. The caretaker authority said that it was “committed to protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations.”
Türk’s visit to Syria is the first time that a UN human rights chief has visited the country since the start of the conflict in 2011. The visit is seen as a sign of progress in the efforts to address the human rights crisis in Syria and to find a political solution to the conflict.
The caretaker authority is a temporary body that was established in 2022 to oversee the transition to a new government in Syria. The caretaker authority is made up of representatives from the government, the opposition, and civil society.
The caretaker authority has been tasked with preparing for a new constitution and for elections. However, the caretaker authority has been criticized for its lack of progress on these issues.
The UN has been critical of the caretaker authority’s human rights record. In a report released in December 2022, the UN said that the caretaker authority had failed to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Syria.
The UN report said that the caretaker authority had failed to investigate allegations of human rights violations, had failed to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable, and had failed to protect civilians from human rights abuses.
UN rights chief in historic meeting in Syria’s with caretaker authority in Damascus
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