Damascus – Geneva: Europe and the Arabs

“This is just the beginning of what needs to be done in Syria,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described the encouraging steps taken by the interim authorities to address past violations, as Syria prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime in a few days.

In a statement read by spokesperson Thamin Khaitan at the bi-weekly press briefing for UN agencies in Geneva, the High Commissioner noted the establishment by the interim authorities of two national bodies for transitional justice and for missing persons, two commissions to investigate violence in coastal areas and in Suwaida, the announcement of a draft transitional justice law, and the commencement of trials of those accused of committing acts of violence in coastal areas.

Khaitan said: “However, we continue to receive horrific accounts of summary executions, arbitrary killings, and abductions, primarily targeting specific communities and individuals accused of affiliation with the former government.” The spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that other violations and abuses included sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, looting, destruction of homes, forced evictions, and the confiscation of homes, land, and property, as well as restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

He explained that in many of these cases, the violence primarily targeted specific communities, including Alawites, Druze, Christians, and Bedouins. This violence was fueled by escalating hate speech, both online and on the streets.

Conditions for a Successful Transition

The spokesperson stated that last year saw repeated Israeli military operations, including incursions and the occupation of additional territory. He added, "We have received reports of civilian casualties, including in a recent Israeli military operation near Damascus, as well as arrests and house searches."

He noted that the integration of former armed groups into the new security forces has so far been rushed, without proper human rights vetting. He added: “This vetting and proper reform of the security sector are essential to ensure that perpetrators of serious violations of international law are not integrated into the security forces, and to prevent further violations.”

Al-Khitan stressed the need for an independent, thorough, and transparent investigation into all these violations – past and present – ​​and for those responsible to be held accountable.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on the authorities to take measures to address the root causes of these violations, emphasizing that accountability, justice, peace, and security for all Syrians are essential preconditions for the success of the transition process, and that the rights of victims to effective remedies and compensation must be guaranteed.