BRIEFING NOTES: Syria

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Thameen Al-Kheetan
Location: Geneva
Date: 20 December 2024
Subject: Syria

As you may all be aware, Karla Quintana was appointed on Thursday as head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIMP). Her appointment comes after nearly a year and a half of work by colleagues at the UN Human Rights Office supporting the launch of this important institution.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has flagged how important this moment is in Syria - both for those who are still missing, and for their loved ones. Since the fall of former president Bashar Al-Assad’s government, almost two weeks ago, we have seen footage of hundreds of detainees pouring out of now open prisons – some expressing happiness to see sunlight, but others so shocked after years of torture and inhumane treatment that they are incapable of any form of expression.

Many of them had been detained incommunicado for years, leaving their families without any information on their fate or whereabouts. We have seen the touching scenes of people hugging each other for the first time in years, others struggling to recognise their sons and daughters, and many families who have remained in distress as they haven’t found their loved ones yet.

They deserve to have all the answers about their relatives’ fate and whereabouts, and to know the circumstances in which they went missing. They also need mental health and psychosocial support. This is where the work of the institution will be fundamental.

And while the Institution IIMP will focus on reducing the suffering of families of the missing, our Office and other international mechanisms – including the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism – will work on monitoring and collecting information about past and present human rights violations and abuses, within the scope of their respective mandates.

The High Commissioner is deploying next week a small team of human rights officers to Syria to support the existing UN presence on human rights issues, as well as efforts aimed at ensuring that any transition is inclusive and within the framework of international law.

Transitional justice and community trust building anchored in human rights will be a very important chapter in Syria’s future. This is the only way to address the immeasurable pain endured by individuals and families across the country for decades and to build a future in which the human rights of all Syrians will be equally respected, protected and fulfilled.

It is fundamental that the caretaker authorities take immediate steps to ensure the preservation of evidence of past crimes and violations. This includes mass graves, records and documents from prisons, detention centres, ministries and other state institutions, as well as any other material evidence that could be crucial in documenting what has happened and in holding those responsible to account.

The High Commissioner has repeatedly stressed that human rights must be central to an inclusive transition, if Syria is to come to terms with its past and construct a society in which the rights of all Syrians will be respected, protected and fulfilled, irrespective of gender, ethnic or religious community, age or ability.

In the meantime, the caretaker authorities must act to ensure security is restored, that those accused of committing crimes are held accountable in compliance with international human rights standards, and that women, children and diverse ethnic and religious communities can fully exercise their rights

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