Syria: Assad’s Armed Forces Must Face Accountability, Says Rights Probe
Date: 2025-02-06 12:00
Source: Top Stories
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Syria has released a damning report, accusing the Syrian government of committing widespread and systematic human rights violations, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The report, which covers the period from March 2011 to June 2022, found that the Syrian armed forces and associated militias have engaged in a pattern of gross and systematic human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial killings, and sexual violence.
“The evidence gathered by the Commission points to the systematic and deliberate targeting of civilians by the Syrian armed forces,” said Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the COI. “These violations amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The report also found that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons on multiple occasions, including the use of sarin gas in the Ghouta chemical attack in 2013. The COI also accused the government of deliberately targeting hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, in violation of international humanitarian law.
The Commission called on the Syrian government to immediately end all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and to cooperate with international investigations into these crimes. The report also urged the international community to take concrete steps to ensure accountability for the crimes committed in Syria, including through the establishment of an international tribunal.
The Syrian government has denied the allegations made in the report, calling them “politically motivated” and “biased.” However, the COI said that its findings are based on a thorough investigation of evidence, including witness testimony, satellite imagery, and other documentation.
The report is a major blow to the Syrian government’s efforts to portray itself as a legitimate authority and to win international recognition. It is likely to further isolate the regime and increase pressure for it to be held accountable for its crimes.
The COI was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 to investigate human rights violations in Syria. The Commission is mandated to document and report on all human rights violations committed by all parties to the conflict, and to make recommendations for accountability.
Syria: Assad’s armed forces must face accountability, says rights probe
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