President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salem al-Meslet, called on the United States and the international community to truly support the Syrian people and activate the international accountability mechanism for the perpetrators of war crimes in Syria.
Al-Meslet made these remarks at an article published by the Syria TV website on the occasion of the US State Department’s announcement of March 2022 as the accountability month for Assad. He stressed that the announcement is a positive step that is highly appreciated by Syrian people, adding that it needs to be transformed into practical steps that begin with the expulsion of the Assad regime from the UN and all international organizations.
He said that these steps will serve as a prelude to holding Assad accountable in an international court, in conjunction with programs that further isolate the regime and restore freedom to the Syrian people.
Al-Meslet expressed his regret that the Caesar Act sanctions have not yet been able to brin the Assad regime to justice. He also said that economic sanctions are a commendable weapon that can contribute to undermining Assad’s killing machine, but they may not be sufficient to achieve the demands of the Syrian people.
Moreover, he stressed that accountability is a real test for the United Nations, its mechanisms and tools, from the Security Council to the International Criminal Court. He added that the international community must not let a criminal like Assad destabilize the tools that human civilization has produced.
Al-Meslet added: “The responsibilities are immense. Our duties towards justice are even more immense. Limiting the response to humanitarian aid and a package of sanctions will not exempt anyone from their responsibilities. If there is talk about a state of calmness currently prevailing in Syria, it is because the butcher is done with his massacres. However, the victims are still moaning and the world is still guilty of its inaction.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
