Syrian Coalition Calls on UN High Commissioner to Demand Accountability for War Crimes

In a letter delivered today to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, the Syrian Coalition took note of the High Commissioner’s December 2^ndstatements on  the growing body of evidence implicating senior Assad regime officials in war crimes and crimes against humanity, and urged her office to insist on full accountability for such crimes, including by disclosing the identities of all alleged war criminals to the appropriate authorities at the appropriate time.

“Since Syria’s democratic uprising began in March 2011, the Assad regime has increased its systematic violations of the fundamental human rights of the Syrian people,” wrote Dr. Najib Ghadbian, Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations, in his letter to the High Commissioner. “Despite the serious, repeated and systematic nature of human rights abuses in Syria, there has been no accountability for these crimes. Instead, the Assad regime has been able to act with impunity and has in recent months increased its atrocities against innocent civilians.”

In her statements on December 2, 2013, the High Commission acknowledged the existence of a list containing the names of senior Syrian regime officials—including the Head of State–implicated in war crimes and crimes against humanity. These individuals must never be permitted to participate in transition negotiations nor in the transition to a new Syria.

“With peace talks scheduled for January 22, 2014, it is incumbent upon the international community to insist that those with blood on their hands are not able to dictate Syria’s future, or determine the path of our country’s transition,” wrote Dr. Ghadbian. “Indeed, the Syrian people must be assured that those who have brutalized their country and systematically violated their most basic and fundamental human rights are removed from the process of building a free, fair and democratic Syria.”

The Syrian Coalition remains committed to ensuring that all those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, from any party to the conflict, are held to account. We reiterate our calls on the Security Council to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court and remain ready to work with the relevant international authorities to ensure that justice is pursued and served in accordance with international law.

We ask for Mercy for our martyrs, health for our wounded, and freedom for our detainees.

Long live Syria and its people, free and with honor.