{"id":153370,"date":"2025-12-08T12:50:58","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T11:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/?p=153370"},"modified":"2025-12-08T12:55:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T11:55:09","slug":"justice-for-syria-who-is-doing-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/en\/153370-justice-for-syria-who-is-doing-what.html","title":{"rendered":"Justice for Syria: who is doing what?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, on 7 December 2024, the landscape of justice for grave violations of international law in Syria has transformed. Some transitional justice institutions have been established in Syria. And there have never been so many active Syrian cases under universal jurisdiction<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Infographic: \u00a9 Justice Info<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since the fall of the Syrian regime on 8 December 2024, transitional justice<\/a> is among the most pressing demands<\/a> inside the country and in the diaspora. While the interim government has established a Commission for Transitional Justice and a Commission for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared, the first \u2018year after\u2019 has not brought forth any domestic criminal proceedings or trials for serious crimes under the Assad regime. In the face of an economic crisis and violence still looming in different parts of the country, it will take time to establish an independent judiciary and a prosecution strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, countries all over the world have been investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria over the past 14 years. They have prosecuted perpetrators of the regime, as well as members of rebel groups and Islamic State (ISIS). The end of Syria\u2019s war and dictatorship has not caused them to stop their efforts. On the contrary, 2025 has seen a number of new proceedings open up in Europe and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the international front, three institutions continue to be active: the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ)<\/a>, and two UN mechanisms based in Geneva: the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism<\/a> (IIIM) and the new Independent Institution on Missing Persons (IIMP<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n

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International Court of Justice (ICJ)<\/h2>\n

On June 8, 2023, the Netherlands and Canada<\/a> filed a case at the International Court of Justice<\/a> (ICJ) alleging that Syria is violating the international Convention Against Torture. All three countries are party to the treaty. In November 2023, the Court ordered Syria to take all measures within its power to prevent acts of torture and other abuses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM)<\/h2>\n

On 21 December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution<\/a>, that established the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism<\/a> to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under International Law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. Based in Geneva, it has provided evidence<\/a> to a number of national jurisdictions undertaking trials under the universal jurisdiction principle (see below).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Independent Institution on Missing Persons (IIMP)<\/h2>\n

in June 2023, the United Nations General Assembly established the Independent Institution on Missing Persons<\/a> in the Syrian Arab Republic. Its mandate is to determine the fate and whereabouts<\/a> of all missing persons in Syria, and to support the families of the missing.\u00a0It is based in Geneva. Its head Karla Quintana<\/a> was appointed the month of the fall of the Assad regime.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Syria<\/h2>\n