The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has gathered enough evidence for Bashar al-Assad to be convicted of war crimes, a prominent member of the commission, Carla del Ponte, said in remarks published on Sunday.
Asked in an interview with Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung whether there was enough evidence for Assad to be convicted of war crimes, she said: “Yes, I am convinced that is the case. That is why the situation is so frustrating. The preparatory work has been done. Despite that, there is no prosecutor and no court.”
Last week, del Ponte announced that she was stepping down from her role in frustration at the UN Security Council’s failure to continue the commission’s work by setting up a special tribunal for Syria that could try alleged war criminals.
Del Ponte, a former Swiss attorney general, joined the three-member Syria inquiry in September 2012, chronicling incidents such as chemical weapons attacks, siege tactics, and the bombing of aid convoys.
The commission was set up in August 2011 and has regularly reported on human rights violations, but its pleas to observe international law have largely been ignored. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Agencies)