The Independent International Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Syria has called on the new authorities in Damascus to protect mass grave sites and relevant documentation. The statement released Dec. 20 comes after the CoI visited former prisons and detention centers in the country, including the notorious Sednaya prison and Military Intelligence Branch 235 facilities. This is the first time since the conflict began in 2011.

The team was dismayed to find that much evidence and documentation which could have helped families trace disappeared loved ones had been damaged, taken, or destroyed. In response, the CoI has issued an urgent call for the protection of mass grave sites and related documents across Syria, including the establishment of a specialized unit to coordinate the protection and preservation of such evidence. The CoI emphasized that individual actions might hinder forensic efforts and called on the authorities to discourage premature actions.

Many national and international rights bodies and organizations have offered assistance to secure evidence and support the families of missing persons. The CoI emphasized its readiness to support the Syrian at “the critical juncture” in Syria’s history.

The recent visit by the CoI to former prisons and detention centers is a significant step towards accountability and justice for the victims of human rights abuses in Syria. However, the commission’s findings also highlight the challenges that lie ahead in terms of protecting evidence and ensuring that those responsible for human rights abuses are held accountable. The CoI’s report also highlights the need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to transitional justice in Syria. The commission emphasizes that any transitional justice process must be grounded in international human rights law and prioritize the needs and rights of victims and their families.

This comes as the head of the Syrian Emergency Task Force says at least 100,000 bodies in a Syrian mass grave, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, with many thousand said to have been killed since the war broke out in 2011.

The CoI was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in Syria. The commission has been documenting human rights abuses and war crimes committed by all parties to the conflict, including the Syrian government, opposition groups, and extremist organizations.

Relatedly, a group of over 30 independent human rights experts, including Special Rapporteurs, stressed the need for unified international support to ensure Syria’s transition is grounded in democratic principles and human rights, in a statement issued on the same day. They emphasized that justice, reconciliation, and respect for Syria’s sovereignty are paramount to the country’s recovery following the fall of the Assad regime.

From JURIST, Dec. 21. Used with permission.

Note: There are efforts to bring war crimes charges against Bashar Assad.