The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:

Building on the continued collaborative relationship between the world-renowned KidsRight Foundation and the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), SNHR has nominated two siblings, brother and sister Ahmed and Sena Zeer for the 2024 International Children’s Peace Prize in appreciation of their extraordinary efforts in supporting their fellow children and highlighting their suffering in the midst of and despite ongoing violations and armed conflict in Syria. We are delighted and honored to reveal that our nomination has been accepted, meaning that Ahmed and Sena are among the 118 boys and girls from across the world to be nominated for this great honor. Ahmed and Sena are the only Syrian children to be nominated this year, and the only Arab children apart from a girl from Lebanon. We hope that Ahmed’s and Sena’s outstanding efforts will help shed more light on the human crisis faced by Syria’s children.

In previous years, SNHR nominated Sirin Mathloum Na’san (girl) for the 2022 prize, Muhammad Nour al-Asmar (boy) for the 2021 prize, and Enar al-Hamrawi (girl), for the 2020 prize. SNHR did not submit any nominations in 2023 due to the devastation resulting from the February 6, 2023, Earthquakes that hit Türkiye and northern Syria.

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) today (October 15,2024) released a report condemning the Israeli occupation of Syrian lands in Quneitra in the Syrian Golan since September 15, 2024. On that date, Israeli forces accompanied by tanks, bulldozers, and excavation equipment advanced 200 meters into Syrian territory to the east of the 1974’s United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) disengagement line, which is situated to the west of the town of Jabata al-Khashab in Quneitra, in the occupied Syrian Golan. There, they began bulldozing agricultural land, digging trenches and earth berms east of the UNDOF line and along the ‘Sufa 53’ road, which Israel also constructed within Syrian territory in 2022. They also established monitoring positions, fortified by earth berms and trenches as deep as 5-7 meters, each a kilometer from the other. Then, on October 11, 2024, Israeli forces bulldozed agricultural lands near Koudna town. This was followed by an Israeli announcement of establishing what they called a “security fence” on the border with Syria.

The report notes that, through this action, Israeli occupation forces are establishing themselves to the east of the 1974 UNDOF disengagement line within Syrian territory, violating the disengagement agreement signed between Syria and Israel on May 31, 1974. This agreement was concluded in compliance with UN Security Council resolution 338, issued on October 22, 1973, which stipulates the creation of the UNDOF line, with Syrian territory to the east of it and Israel to the west.

The report further stresses that Israel’s ongoing infringement of Syrian territory since September 15, 2024, was not the first of its kind. Previously, in 2022, Israeli forces advanced into Syrian territory east of the UNDOF, and constructed a road named ‘Sufa 53’, which cuts through Syrian territory, with some parts extending into Syria by up to two kilometers.

Moreover, the report condemns the Syrian regime’s bringing in dozens of Iranian militia groups, which facilitated the violation of Syrian sovereignty by hosting dozens of non-state groups. The Syrian regime has also allowed Israeli Air Force violations of Syrian air sovereignty that have become an almost daily occurrence, passing without any significant condemnation or attention.

The report concludes by emphasizing that the recent Israeli actions in Syrian territory, including establishing observation points and the ‘Sufa 53’ road east of the 1974 disengagement UNDOF line, violate international law, which prohibits the annexation or seizure of land by force or threat. These actions constitute an act of aggression and a threat to international peace and security. Furthermore, the Syrian regime’s failure to fulfill its constitutional duty to preserve Syria’s independence, unity, and territorial integrity may encourage Israel to seize and annex more Syrian land, exploiting the ongoing regional conflict and international indifference.

The report calls on the UNDOF to provide comprehensive reports detailing recent Israeli attacks on Syrian territory. The UN and the UN Security Council must also uphold their responsibility by ending systematic Israeli attacks and enforcing relevant international resolutions. Additionally, the international community must condemn Israel’s flagrant violations of Syrian sovereignty and the 1974 disengagement agreement, and intensify diplomatic efforts to prevent further Israeli annexation of Syrian lands, with a focus on addressing the root causes of regional conflicts and instability.

In addition, the report stresses, all stakeholders, including regional powers and the international community, must act toward reaching a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement in Syria, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2254, with the report also providing a number of other recommendations.

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, the Member States of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voted on Draft Resolution A/HRC/57/L.11 which condemned the Syrian regime’s continuing perpetration of gross violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in a systematic and widespread manner. The draft resolution was adopted with a majority of 26 states voting in favor, while four voted against (China, Cuba, Eritrea, Brunei), and 17 abstained from voting.

Oppressive authoritarian states that oppose human rights continue to vote in favor of the Syrian regime. Indeed, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) showed in a previous report how other totalitarian states and dictatorships, most prominently Russia and China, consistently vote in support of the Syrian regime’s crimes at the UNHRC.

Vote outcome on Draft Resolution A/HRC/57/L.11 regarding the human rights situation in Syria. The draft was voted on during the UNHRC’s 57^th session.

#HRC57 | Draft resolution A/HRC/57/L.11 on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic was ADOPTED. pic.twitter.com/PSe3XPsfjO

— United Nations Human Rights Council | #HRC57 (@UN_HRC) October 10, 2024

The latest resolution condemns what it describes as the “grave” human rights situation across Syria, making reference to the most recent report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI) which documents “continued violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including attacks against civilians and civilian objects arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and deaths in detention due to ill-treatment or lack of access to medical care and arbitrary arrests on return to the Syrian Arab Republic.”

The resolution further condemns the violations committed by the Syrian regime, noting that over 5,000 children are currently detained or forcibly disappeared at the hands of the parties to the conflict. SNHR’s data aligns with these figures, as the group has documented that at least 5,263 children of those arrested by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria between March 2011 and June 2024 are still under arrest/detention and/or forcibly disappeared. Of these, 3,698 children were arrested by regime forces, while 319 were arrested by ISIS, 57 by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, 834 by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and 365 by all armed opposition factions/Syrian National Army (SNA).

The resolution also reiterates the findings of the COI, which were further corroborated by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), namely that “the Syrian Arab Republic does not yet offer a safe and stable environment for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees or for those displaced inside the country.”

SNHR welcomes the UNHRC resolution and the most recent COI report, which stressed that “Syria remains mired in a complex humanitarian crisis in which civilians continue to be killed and injured during hostilities, State and non-State actors exercise power arbitrarily and commit violations with impunity… Concurrently, the economic and humanitarian situation has continued to degenerate, amid corruption, organized crime,”

It should be noted that SNHR has been working in collaboration with many UN bodies for the past 13 years, including the OHCHR, the COI, the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), UNICEF, and several Special Rapporteurs.

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)

On the evening of Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at around 20:15 local time, fixed-wing warplanes, suspected to be Israeli, fired multiple missiles, believed to number three, at al-Sheikh Saed area in al-Mazza neighborhood in Damascus city. The attack targeted a residential building in an area known locally as the ‘14 Buildings’, killing at least eight civilians, including four children (three girls and one boy) and three women, including a doctor, and inflicting injuries of varying severity on 11 others. The attack also heavily damaged the buildings and nearby civilian properties.

The area was under the control of Syrian regime forces at the time of the incident. According to intelligence obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), in addition to the photos and video we received and information from open sources, the area is a civilian one. We have yet to confirm that there were any Iranian fighters, commanders, or other military personnel associated with Iran, or any military equipment in the area at the time of the attack.

New York – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) hosted an event on the sidelines of the 79^th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The event, entitled ‘Syria’s Dark Reality: Examining Systemic Torture and Exploring Justice and Accountability’, which was sponsored by the United States, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and Canada, featured: Dr. Dafna H. Rand, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL); Beth Van Schaack, the US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice; Natasha Franceschi, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs; Isabelle Rome, France’s Ambassador at Large for Human Rights; Guusje Korthals Altes, the Netherlands’ Director for North Africa and the Middle East; Luise Amtsberg, Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance; Faisal bin Abdullah Al Hanzab, Special Envoy of Qatar Minister of Foreign Affairs; Stephen Hickey, the UK Director of Middle East and North Africa; Dr. Martin Larose, Director General of the Middle East Bureau at Global Affairs Canada; Theo Boutruche, Head of the Rule of Law and Transitional Justice Unit for the Syria Office at the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR); Mariam Kamalmaz, Daughter of Forcibly Disappeared and Killed US Citizen Majd Kamalmaz; Dr. Mahmoud Aswad, Executive Manager of Lawyers and Doctors for Human Rights (LDHR); and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR’s Executive Director, with Emma Beals, a Syria expert and independent consultant on peace and foreign policy, serving as a moderator. The event was streamed live on Zoom and SNHR’s social media channels in Arabic and English.

During the event, the participants discussed the systemic use of torture in Syria, while exploring how the international community can continue to advance justice and accountability efforts for perpetrators. The speakers also discussed the avenues through which progress can be made on the issue of forcibly disappeared persons in light of the establishment of the UN Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP), as well as questions related to the impact of the use of torture on returning refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) both inside and outside regime-held areas, and the tools available to hold the Syrian regime accountable for torture and other abuses. Questions about the future prospects of justice and accountability efforts were also discussed, considering recent, increased diplomatic engagement with the regime.

Press release: (Download the full report below)

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) revealed in its latest monthly report released today that no fewer than 206 cases of arbitrary arrests were documented in September 2024, with those detained including nine children and 17 women. The group also noted that the Syrian regime has arrested nine refugees who returned from Lebanon amid the Israeli offensive.

The 21-page report notes that, given the staggering rates of continuing arbitrary arrests, the number of Syrian citizens classified as missing has skyrocketed, so much so that this can be called a phenomenon in itself. Indeed, Syria is now one of the worst countries worldwide in terms of the numbers of ‘disappeared’ citizens. The report adds that the Syrian regime surpasses many of the world’s other authoritarian regimes by virtue of having absolute hegemony over the legislative and judicial branches of government. The regime has wielded this hegemony to promulgate a multitude of laws and decrees that violate international human rights law, as well as the principles pf law and the parameters of arrests and interrogation established in domestic legislation and the current Constitution of 2012. A part of this process, the report stresses, is legitimizing the crime of torture. Syrian law contains several texts that outlaw torture, including Article 53 of the current Syrian constitution which bans arbitrary arrest and torture and Article 391 of the Public Penal Code, which provides that anyone who uses coercion during interrogation shall receive a timed prison sentence ranging from three months to three years, as well as wholly prohibiting torture. Despite these texts, however, other legal texts, including Law No. 16 of 2022 on Criminalizing Torture, explicitly contradict the aforementioned legal articles, and legitimize impunity for torturers.

The report summarizes the arbitrary arrests/detentions and the releases of detainees from various detention centers documented as having been perpetrated by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in September 2024. The report does not, however, include abductions carried out by unidentified parties. Another exception made by SNHR is of individuals detained for committing criminal offenses, such as murder, theft, narcotics-related crimes, and other crimes that have no political nature or are unrelated to the armed conflict, dissident activism, or freedom of opinion and expression. The report also touches upon the laws and decrees promulgated by the parties to the conflict in relation to issues of arrest and enforced disappearance in the period covered. In much of its reportage, the report incorporates a descriptive and analytical methodology.

The report documents no fewer than 206 cases of arbitrary arrest/detention in September 2024, with those detained including nine children and 17 women (adult females). Of these, 158 have subsequently been classified as enforced disappearances. Syrian regime forces were responsible for 128 of the 206 cases, including of four children and 16 women, while all armed opposition factions/Syrian National Army (SNA) were responsible for 38 cases, with those arrested including two children one woman. Additionally, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were responsible for 21 cases, including of three children, while Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) were responsible for 19 cases.

The report also shows the distribution of September’s cases across Syria’s governorates. Analysis of the data shows that Aleppo governorate saw the highest number of arbitrary arrests/detentions, followed by Damascus governorate, then in descending order, Rural Damascus, Hama and Idlib, Homs, Daraa, and Deir Ez-Zour. The report additionally compares the number of arbitrary arrests/detentions carried out by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria with the numbers of releases of detainees from the various forces’ detention centers documented in September 2024. In this regard, the report stresses that the number of arbitrary arrests far surpasses the number of releases from detention centers, with the number of releases equaling approximately 30 percent of all the detentions documented; this confirms again that at least two or three times as many people are detained as are released, primarily by the Syrian regime, which indicates that these arrest and detention practices are standard policy in comparison to the extremely limited numbers of people released by all parties to the conflict, but mainly from regime detention centers.

The report further notes that Syrian regime forces carried out more arrests/detentions of refugees returning from Lebanon, as they fled the escalating Israeli offensive that has been going on since September 23. These arrests took place at the formal and informal border crossings separating Lebanon and Syria. Most of those arrested were taken to the regime’s security and military detention centers in the governorates of Homs and Damascus. SNHR documented the arrest of at least nine refugees returning from Lebanon, most of them originally from Rural Damascus governorate, on the pretext of having failed to join the army or reserve forces as required by the regime’s conscription policies.

Moreover, the report notes that regime forces arrested/detained a number of activists in Latakia city, over their voicing criticism of the regime’s security and economic policies. These activists were taken to regime detention centers in Latakia city. The report also recorded arrests/detentions targeting civilians, including women and children, trying to return from areas under the control of armed opposition factions and HTS to their original residences in regime-held areas. These arrests were concentrated at checkpoints erected at the entrances to Damascus city. Most of those arrested were released a few days later from security branches in Damascus city.

The report also documents widespread arrests/detentions of civilians by regime personnel in the governorates of Rural Damascus, Damascus, Hama, and Aleppo on the pretext of their having failed to join the regime’s military or reserve forces as part of its mandatory military service policy. These arrests were carried out during raids or mass arrests at checkpoints, and even targeted individuals who had previously agreed to settle their security status with the regime in the areas that saw settlement agreements. Most of these arrests were carried out by the security branches for the purpose of extorting ransom money from the detainees’ families.

On a related note, the report stresses that, through the arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances carried out in September, the Syrian regime continues to violate the orders of the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued in November 2023 on requesting provisional measures in the case brought by Canada and the Netherlands against the Syrian regime on the application of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Meanwhile, the report notes, the SDF also continued enforcing the group’s policies of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance in September 2024. In pursuit of these policies, SDF personnel continued carrying out campaigns of mass raids and detentions, targeting civilians on the pretext of fighting ISIS, with some of these arrest campaigns backed by US-led Coalition helicopters. The report also documented arrests/detentions of civilians over accusations of working with the SNA. Moreover, we documented more arrests/detention of civilians for forced conscription, with these detainees taken to SDF military training and recruitment camps, which are concentrated in SDF-controlled areas of Aleppo governorate. The SDF also continued abducting children with the objective of conscripting them for military training, with these children being sent to military training camps. The parents and families of these conscripted children are not allowed to contact them, while the SDF refuses to disclose their fate.

As the report further reveals, HTS detained more civilians in September 2024. These arrests, which were concentrated in Idlib governorate and some areas of rural Aleppo governorate under the group’s control, targeted media activists, political activists, and local dignitaries. Most of these arrests were carried out in connection with the detainees expressing opinions critical of HTS’s management of areas under its control. These detentions are routinely and arbitrarily carried out in the form of raids in which HTS members storm their victims’ homes, often breaking down the doors, or abducting their victims in the street or while they’re passing through temporary checkpoints. We also documented arrests/detentions mostly carried out as part of raids and mass arrests, or at checkpoints in Idlib governorate that targeted individuals over their participation in the recent anti-HTS protests in the governorate. Most of these arrests were concentrated in Idlib city. We also recorded arrests/detentions of a number of individuals over their alleged affiliation with the anti-HTS Tahrir Party. These arrests were concentrated in Idlib governorate.

Furthermore, the report goes on, armed opposition factions/SNA continued carrying out arbitrary arrests/detentions and kidnappings in September 2024, including of women. Most of these detentions were conducted on a mass scale, targeting individuals coming from areas controlled by the Syrian regime or the SDF. In addition, the report documents detentions during this period that exhibited an ethnic character, with these incidents concentrated in areas under the control of the armed opposition factions/SNA in Aleppo governorate. Most of these arrests occurred without judicial authorization and without the participation of the police force, which is the sole legitimate administrative body with the authority to carry out arrests and detentions through the judiciary, as well as being carried out without any clear charges being presented against those being detained. The report also documented raids and arrests by SNA personnel targeting civilians who were accused of working with the SDF, with these arrests being concentrated in some of the villages which are administratively part of Afrin city in Aleppo governorate. We also recorded arrests/detentions by SNA personnel of civilians returning to their houses in SNA-held areas, with these arrests being concentrated in Afrin city. Furthermore, the report recorded arrests carried out by the SNA’s al-Sultan Suleiman Shah Division targeting a number of civilians for refusing to pay charges imposed by al-Sultan Suleiman Shah group for the olive trees owned by those individuals. These arrests were concentrated in Kakhra village, administratively a part of Afrin city, in northern Aleppo governorate.

On the subject of releases, the report documents the release of 23 individuals by Syrian regime forces, including four children and 14 women. One of the releases was in connection with the amnesty decree promulgated by the Syrian regime on April 30, 2022 (Decree No. 7 of 2022). In Damascus governorate, the report reveals, the regime released three individuals. The detainees in question were released after serving the full term of their arbitrary sentence. As such, these releases were not related to any of the amnesty decrees that have been promulgated to date, with each of the released detainees having been imprisoned for about two years in regime detention centers. The report also documents the release of 19 individuals, including four children and 14 women, all of whom had been held for a few days without trial and without appearing before a court. Most of these detainees came from the governorates of Rural Damascus, Aleppo, and Daraa, with the majority having spent the duration of their detention in regime security branches.

As the report further reveals, 29 individuals were released from SDF detention centers. Twenty-six of these were released in connection with Amnesty Act No. 10 of 2024, promulgated by the group on July 17, 2024, which pardons crimes committed by Syrian nationals prior to that date. Those released had been detained for periods ranging from three months to one year, with most of them hailing originally from the governorates of Deir Ez-Zour and Hasaka.

The report also documents HTS’ release of seven individuals from its detention centers in Idlib governorate, with the released detainees having been detained for periods ranging from a few days to three months, without any clear charges being brought against them.

Elsewhere, all armed opposition factions/SNA released 24 individuals, including one child, after detaining them for periods ranging from a few days to a few months without bringing any clear charges against them or putting them on trial. Most were released only after their families had been extorted into paying sums of money to secure their release.

As the report further notes, SNHR’s data is now viewed as a reputable principal source of information by many UN bodies, being used in numerous statements and resolutions. The most recent of these was a draft resolution on the human rights situation in Syria (A/C.3/78/L.43), passed by a vote on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, which condemned the Syrian regime’s continuation of gross, systematic, and widespread violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. This latest resolution also acknowledged that the number of detainees in Syria continues to rise steadily, already exceeding 135,000. Relatedly, the resolution holds the regime responsible for the systematic use of enforced disappearance, which, it notes, constitutes a crime against humanity.

The report notes that the issue of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons is one of the most crucial human rights issues in Syria which there has been no progress in resolving despite its inclusion in several UN Security Council resolutions, as well as in UN General Assembly resolutions, in Kofi Annan’s plan, in Security Council resolution 2254 of December 2015, and finally in the statement on cessation of hostilities issued in February 2016.

The report stresses that the Syrian regime has not fulfilled any of its obligations in any of the international treaties and conventions it has ratified, most particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It has also violated several articles of the Syrian Constitution itself, with thousands of detainees imprisoned without any arrest warrant for many years, without charges, and prevented from appointing a lawyer and from receiving family visits. Approximate 68 percent of all detentions documented have subsequently been categorized as enforced disappearance cases.

The report further notes that, in light of the continuing high rates of arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearance at the hands of Syrian regime forces, we have seen no indicator of any willingness on the Syrian regime’s part to end torture or comply with the ICJ’s order for provisional measures since it was issued on November 16, 2023. Even worse, the regime continues to imprison at least 136,614 arbitrarily arrested detainees/forcibly disappeared persons in its detention centers, all of whom are still being subjected to torture, which further confirms that the Syrian regime explicitly continues to contravene the Convention against Torture, which the regime ratified in 2004, and continues to fail to comply with the Convention.

The report additionally notes that the other parties (Syrian Democratic Forces, Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, and all Armed Opposition factions/Syrian National Army) are also all obliged to implement the provisions of international human rights law, and that they too have committed widespread violations through arrests and enforced disappearances.

In the report, SNHR again calls on the UN Security Council to follow through with the implementation of UN Security Resolution 2042, Resolution 2043, and Resolution 2139.

The report stresses that the UN must form an impartial special committee to monitor cases of arbitrary arrest and reveal the fate of the 112,000 missing persons in Syria, 85 percent of whom are detained by the Syrian regime. The report adds that pressure should be applied on all parties to immediately reveal their detention records in accordance with a set timetable, and to immediately make detainees’ whereabouts public, and allow humanitarian organizations and the International Committee of Red Cross to have direct access to them.

Lastly, the report emphasizes that children and women should immediately be released from captivity, and that families and friends of detainees or wanted individuals should not be detained as prisoners of war, as well as providing a number of additional recommendations.

Download the full report

Press release: (Download the full report below)

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) revealed in its latest report, released today, that 50 civilians were killed in Syria in September 2024, including 13 children and six women, with another 10 individuals, one of them a child, dying due to torture. The group also documented the killing of 96 Syrian refugees in the Israeli offensive on Lebanon, including 36 children and 19 women.

The 23-page report provides a summary of the civilian deaths that occurred in September 2024, shedding light particularly on victims who died due to torture, as well as documenting the massacres perpetrated by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria which the SNHR team was able to document during this period. The report also outlines the most notable incidents that took place during the month, in addition to summarizing the action taken by SNHR in regard to the issue of extrajudicial killings in Syria, as well as providing details of the attacks carried out against vital facilities during this month.

This report draws upon the constant daily monitoring of news and developments by SNHR’s team, and on information supplied by our extensive network of dozens of varied sources, as well as on the analysis of a large quantity of pictures and videos.

The report emphasizes the Syrian regime’s continuing absolute failure to register the deaths of any of the hundreds of thousands of citizens it has killed since March 2011 in the civil registry’s official death records. It explains that the regime exerts absolute control over the issuance of death certificates, which are not made available to any of its victims’ families, including those of the missing and forcibly disappeared, whether these victims were killed by the Syrian regime or by other affiliated parties. The regime only allows death certificates to be issued for those who meet the narrow criteria set by itself and its security services. The report further reveals that the vast majority of victims’ families are unable to obtain death certificates from the Syrian regime, for fear of linking their name with that of a person who was detained by the regime and killed under torture, meaning that he or she was a dissident who opposed the regime, or that their loved one might be registered as a ‘terrorist’ if they are wanted by the security services; additionally, many victims’ families have been forcibly displaced outside the areas controlled by the regime.

The report further reveals that on August 10, 2022, the regime government’s Minister of Justice issued Circular No. 22 specifying the procedures for the conduct of proceedings related to registering deaths within Sharia courts. The circular included new conditions stipulating that five items of evidence must be submitted to and approved by the relevant judges in proceedings related to registration of deaths. It also requires that all relevant courts involved in death registration cases comply with the circular’s content. The circular also imposed security clearance conditions on judicial authorities to register death cases, increasing the security services’ intrusion into these legal procedures.

The report documents the killing of 50 civilians, including 13 children and six women (adult female), in September 2024 at the hands of the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria. Of the 50 civilians killed during this month, 18 civilians, including three children and two women, were killed by Syrian regime forces, while all armed opposition factions/Syrian National Army (SNA) killed two civilians, in addition to one civilian killed by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Finally, 29 civilians, including 10 children and four women, were killed by other parties.

As the report further reveals, the two governorates of Idlib and Aleppo accounted for 24 percent of all civilian deaths in September, with regime forces killing 11 victims in the two governorates in total. Aleppo and Idlib were followed by Daraa, which accounted for about 22 percent of the total, with nine civilian victims there being killed by other parties.

On the subject of deaths due to torture, the report reveals that 10 people were documented as dying due to torture in Syria in September 2024, including nine who were killed at the hands of regime forces, with one of those nine victims being a child, while the tenth victim died due to torture at the hands of other parties. Moreover, the report notes that one medical worker was killed by regime forces in September.

The report stresses that the airstrikes carried out by fixed-wing Israeli warplanes across extensive civilian areas of Lebanon have killed hundreds of civilians, including 96 Syrian refuges, among them 36 children and 19 women, in the week between September 23 and September 30.

The report further reveals that SNHR documented 10 attacks on vital civilian facilities in September 2024 by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria, nine of them by regime forces, and the other one by all armed opposition factions/SNA.

The report additionally notes that the evidence collected by SNHR indicates that some of the attacks documented in the report were deliberately directed against civilians and civilian objects. These attacks, along with instances of indiscriminate bombardment, also resulted in the destruction of more vital facilities and other buildings. Moreover, the report notes, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the war crime of attacking civilians has been committed in many cases.

As the report also notes, the use of remote bombardment to target densely populated areas reflects a criminal mindset on the regime’s part, showing that it is intent on deliberately inflicting the greatest possible number of deaths, in clear contravention of international human rights law and flagrant violation of the Geneva IV Convention, Articles 27, 31, and 32.

The report further notes that no warnings have been given by Syrian regime forces, Russian forces, or US-led International Coalition forces before carrying out any of their attacks, as required by international humanitarian law. This has been the case since the beginning of the popular uprising in Syria, which shows an utter disregard for the lives of civilians in Syria.

Moreover, the report explains, it is clear from the volume of violations, their repeated nature, and the excessive level of force used, as well as the indiscriminate manner of the bombardment and the coordinated nature of the regime’s attacks, that they must be the result of orders from the higher echelons of power, carried out in accordance with state policy.

All armed opposition factions/SNA forces, meanwhile, have violated Security Council resolution 2139 through carrying out attacks that constitute violations of customary international humanitarian law, resulting in collateral civilian deaths and injuries.

The report calls on the UN Security Council to take additional steps following its adoption of Resolution 2254 and stresses the importance of referring the Syrian dossier to the International Criminal Court, adding that all those involved in perpetrating crimes against humanity and war crimes should be held accountable.

The report also urges all relevant United Nations agencies to make far greater efforts to provide food, medical, and humanitarian assistance in areas where fighting has ceased, and in internally displaced persons’ camps, and to follow up on payment with those states that have pledged voluntary contributions.

The report additionally calls for the implementation of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ doctrine (R2P) after all political channels have proved fruitless throughout all the agreements reached, as well as the Cessation of Hostilities statements, and Astana agreements that followed, stressing the need to resort to Chapter VII, and to implement the norm of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ doctrine, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly.

The report further recommends that the international community should work to launch projects to create maps revealing the locations of landmines and cluster munitions in all Syrian governorates. This, it notes, would facilitate the process of clearing these lethal munitions, as well as educating the population about their locations.

The report additionally calls on the Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) to launch investigations into the cases included in this report and previous reports and confirms the SNHR’s willingness to cooperate and to provide further evidence and data in any such investigations, as well as calling on the commission to focus on the issue of landmines and cluster munitions in its next report.

The report also stresses that the Syrian regime must stop the indiscriminate shelling and targeting of residential areas, hospitals, schools, and markets, as well as ending its acts of torture that have caused the deaths of thousands of Syrian citizens in detention centers and complying with UN Security Council resolutions and customary humanitarian law.

Lastly, the report reiterates SNHR’s appeal to all the parties to the conflict to provide detailed maps of the locations where they have planted landmines, especially those present in civilian locations or areas near residential communities, in addition to making several other recommendations.

Press release: (Download the full report below)

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) today released its ninth annual report on the most notable violations by Russian forces since the launch of Russia’s military intervention on September 30, 2015. In the latest report, the group reveals that Russian forces have killed 6,969 civilians to date in Syria, 44 percent of whom were women and children. Russian forces have also carried out 1,251 attacks on vital civilian facilities.

The 32-page report notes that, since Russia officially launched its military intervention in Syria on September 30, 2015, thus becoming a full-fledged party to the Syrian conflict, SNHR has documented numerous human rights violations perpetrated by Russia’s armed forces. Indeed, Moscow had adopted a very clear stance from the very beginning of the popular uprising that began in March 2011 calling for a political change and the end of the absolute, authoritarian hereditary rule of the Assad family that has ruled Syria since 1970. In keeping with this position, Russia has thrown all its political weight behind the Syrian regime. Russia has also backed the regime militarily, with actions ranging from providing military advice, to subsequently launching a direct and massive military intervention, which is wholly illegitimate, as SNHR has explained in numerous reports, since it is based on receiving the approval of a regime that attained and has clung to power through military brute force, rather than through constitutional means or democratic elections. The report also notes that that Russia’s military intervention has involved innumerable human rights violations including killing, large-scale destruction, forced displacement, the use of cluster munitions, and the bombardment of vital civilian facilities.

In the words of Fadel Abdul Ghany, SNHR Executive Director:

 “Russia has never launched even one investigation into any violations committed by its forces, nor has it held accountable any commander for the bombing of hospitals, markets, and schools despite having committed thousands of human rights violations. On the contrary, Moscow has been denying the credibility of documented reports, and calling them fabrications and misinformation, sinking to the same level as the Syrian regime. Moscow must uphold its legal responsibilities, launch serious investigations, and start compensating victims.”

The report notes that Russia’s military intervention has helped the regime to recapture large areas that broke out of the regime’s control in the period 2011-2015. This is far from the only Russian violation against Syria’s people; Russia has supported the Syrian regime in every conceivable way, including providing supposed justifications for the use of chemical weapons, trying to undermine the credibility of the reports issued by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), exploiting cross-border humanitarian aid, using its media platforms to spread pro-regime propaganda, and trying to rehabilitate and polish the Syrian regime’s image. On the political front, Moscow’s support has been manifested by blocking any international condemnation of the Syrian regime at the UN Security Council. In fact, Russia has crippled the Security Council in regard to holding the Syrian regime accountable for the crimes against humanity. Russia has used its veto powers 18 times to date, four before its military intervention in 2015, and 14 more times since then, which indicates its involvement in the commission of widespread violations with the Syrian regime, and its desire to shield itself from any referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Russia has also voted at all Human Rights Council (HRC) sessions against any resolutions condemning the savage brutality used by the regime against Syrian dissidents, on a total of 21 occasions. In addition to all these points, Russia has instructed its allies at the HRC, including Algeria, Venezuela, and Cuba, to vote in favor of the Syrian regime.

The report stresses that SNHR has been able to construct a large database containing compelling evidence on the violations committed by Russian forces in unlawful attacks in Syria, many of which amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes. On this subject, SNHR has published news articles on all the most prominent attacks by Russian forces documented by the group. The report adds that SNHR has also consistently worked tirelessly to supply detailed reports and investigations recording all the attacks by Russian forces that resulted in massacres or the destruction of primary service civilian facilities, such as hospitals and schools, or involving the use of internationally prohibited weapons, such as cluster munitions. This work has been carried out in addition to SNHR’s annual report that we release on September 30 of every year. Furthermore, the report notes that SNHR has worked steadfastly to expose Russia’s pro-regime practices and crimes against the Syrian people since the start of the popular uprising for democracy in Syria in March 2011. These includes Russia’s support for the regime in the economic, political, and international spheres.

The report provides an updated breakdown of the most notable human rights violations committed by Russian forces since the launch of the military intervention on September 30, 2015, up until September 30, 2024. In assigning culpability to Russia in certain attacks, the report explains, SNHR draws upon a wide range of scrupulously cross-checked information, statements by Russian officials, and a large number of first-hand accounts.

The report further notes that, as SNHR’s database attests, Russian forces in Syria have killed 6,969 civilians, including 2,055 children and 983 women (adult female) to date, and committed no fewer than 362 massacres. Analysis of the data shows that the intervention’s first year (2015-2016) was the bloodiest to date, with 3,564 civilians killed, accounting for about 51 percent of all victims killed to date, while Aleppo governorate saw the most victims (around 41 percent) followed by Idlib (38 percent).

Furthermore, the report documents that Russian forces have so far killed 70 medical personnel, including 12 women, mostly in Idlib governorate, with the highest proportion of these victims also killed in the first year of the intervention, as well as 24 media workers, all of whom were killed in the governorates of Aleppo and Idlib.

As the report further reveals, Russia has carried out no fewer than 1,251 attacks on vital civilian facilities, including 224 schools, 209 medical facilities, and 61 markets, since the launch of its military intervention. As the graphs included in the report show, the intervention’s first year saw 452 attacks on vital civilian facilities by Russian forces, with Idlib being subjected to the largest number of attacks, 633 in all, accounting for 51 percent of the total.

The report also reveals that Russian forces have carried out at least 237 cluster munition attacks and no fewer than 125 attacks using incendiary materials since the launch of Russia’s military intervention on September 30, 2015.

The report stresses that the ferocious level of violence shown in Russia’s attacks has played a major role in displacement movements in Syria, with Russian attacks, in parallel with those of the Syrian-Iranian alliance, leading to the displacement of approximately 4.9 million people, most of whom have been displaced more than once.

The report concludes by reiterating that the Russian regime has been implicated since the very start of the uprising for freedom in supporting the Syrian regime, which has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Syrian people, by providing the regime with weapons, military expertise, and direct military intervention on the side of the regime. The report further notes that Russia has frequently used its right to veto despite becoming a direct party to the Syrian conflict, which is a blatant violation of the United Nations’ Charter. All of Russia’s vetoes have been employed by the Syrian regime to ensure its impunity, the report adds, further noting that the Russian authorities have not conducted any serious investigations into any of the attacks listed in this report or in previous reports. The report holds the Russian leadership, both military and political, responsible for all of these attacks, based on the principle of command responsibility under international humanitarian law.

The report calls on the UN Security Council to refer the Syrian case to the International Criminal Court and to hold all those involved accountable. It further calls on the international community to increase support for relief efforts, and to endeavor to employ universal jurisdiction for these crimes in fair trials held in national courts to ensure that all perpetrators are held to account, to support the political transition process, and to put pressure on all parties to oblige them to implement the political transition process within no more than six months.

The report additionally recommends that the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI) should conduct extensive investigations into the incidents included in this report and should clearly hold the Russian forces involved responsible if sufficient evidence is found of their involvement. It further calls on the European Union to impose economic sanctions on Russia for the crimes against humanity and war crimes it has perpetrated in Syria, as well as making a number of other recommendations.

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) participated in a seminar entitled, ‘Double Burden: Exploring the Correlation Between Displacement and Healthcare Crises in Syria’, which was organized by the Global Alliance on War, Conflict & Health (GAWCH) in partnership with SNHR.

The webinar focused on analyzing the impact of the systematic attacks targeting medical facilities in Syria, specifically regarding the availability and quality of healthcare provided to internally displaced persons (IDPs) since 2011, with particular emphasis on the healthcare challenges faced by IDP children as a result of these attacks. The speakers also discussed what can be done to improve the process of collecting, verifying, and publishing data on attacks targeting medical facilities in order to make better decisions on policies and assistance. Questions about action the international community can take to respond more efficiently and prevent attacks on healthcare infrastructure in conflict zones were also discussed, as well as the nature of the long-term ramifications on public health resulting from the continued attacks against healthcare systems designated for IDPs in Syria, and how to alleviate these effects.

The seminar featured Dr. Annie Sparrow, a Fellow at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director.

Mr. Abdulghany spoke about the relationship between healthcare crises and internal displacement, focusing particularly on the state of the targeted medical facilities in Syria. He stressed that the systematic targeting of medical facilities during the Syrian conflict had greatly exacerbated the humanitarian crisis by contributing to mass internal displacement, severe deficiencies in healthcare, and the deterioration of the overall health of the country’s peoples, all of which are factors which emphasize the urgent need to improve international legal frameworks to protect healthcare in conflict zones.

Mr. Abdulghany also emphasized that the magnitude and systematical nature of attacks on healthcare facilities in Syria are unprecedented, and that in this they constitute deliberate and calculated war crimes. These attacks have destroyed the healthcare infrastructure, creating waves of mass displacement, as civilians have been forced to flee repeatedly in search of basic medical services and security. The erosion of access to healthcare, he added, has created dangerous gaps in basic services, increased rates of diseases and deaths, and led to the resurgence of preventable diseases. He also stressed that the international community’s response, while vital, has been insufficient to prevent attacks and ensure accountability, which also underlines the need for far stronger legal and diplomatic measures.

SNHR has documented at least 897 attacks on medical facilities by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria since March 2011 up until August 2024. In addition, at least 879 medical personnel have been killed, while at least 3,428 healthcare workers, including 286 women, are still detained and/or forcibly disappeared. There are currently about 6.8 million IDPs in Syria, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

In concluding his speech, Mr. Abdulghany stressed that measures must be taken to improve monitoring and reporting of attacks on healthcare, as well as to employ targeted sanctions and other measures to pressure the Syrian regime and other parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations.

He added that emphasis should be placed on the implementation and enforcement of existing international humanitarian law and human rights law provisions related to the protection of healthcare in conflict. This includes encouraging states to globally ratify and locally implement relevant treaties, such as the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It also involves engaging with armed groups to enhance their understanding and respect for the rules governing the protection of healthcare in conflict, and ensuring their commitment to refraining from attacking healthcare facilities and personnel.

Additionally, he noted, efforts should focus on strengthening legal protection through domestic implementation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. While most countries have ratified the Geneva Conventions and other relevant treaties, many have not fully integrated these obligations into their domestic legal frameworks. There also exists a need address the root causes of attacks on healthcare in conflict zones, including the politicization and militarization of healthcare. Furthermore, greater political will and resources to protect healthcare in the context of armed conflict in Syria must be mobilized. This includes advocating for prioritizing this issue on the international agenda, including through the UN Security Council, the Human Rights Council (HRC), and other relevant platforms.

Mr. Abdulghany also emphasized that enhancing legal protection for healthcare workers and facilities is essential, as along with the implementation of mechanisms for investigating and prosecuting violations, in order to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers in conflict-affected environments and hold those responsible for attacks on healthcare accountable, thereby deterring such attacks in the future. Without effective legal protection and accountability measures, he stressed, attacks on healthcare will continue to undermine the provision of essential medical services, exacerbate the suffering of civilian populations, generate further displacement, and perpetuate cycles of violence and instability.

To watch the event in full, please visit the link here.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) cordially invites you to attend the international event, “Syria’s Dark Reality: Examining Systemic Torture and Exploring Justice and Accountability”. The event, which is co-sponsored by the United States, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Qatar, the UK, and Canada will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 1:00-2:30 PM, EDT (8:00-9:30 PM, Syria’s time/7:00-8:30 PM, CEST) at the New York Hilton Midtown and will be streamed online as well. 

This year marked 13 years since Syrians courageously and peacefully took to the streets to demand freedom, political reform, and a human rights-respecting government.  Instead, the Assad regime responded to those demands with extreme violent repression, continuing relentlessly to this day.  One such method the Assad regime has systemically employed to inflict massive suffering and sustain power is the use of torture.  The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) estimates that, since the beginning of the conflict, at least 15,334 people, including 199 children and 115 women, have died as a result of torture in Syria, with the regime responsible for the vast majority.  In most cases, the regime does not notify victims’ families of their deaths inflicting more suffering as families try to clarify the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.  The UN COI has documented the regime’s continuing widespread and systematic patterns of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including acts involving enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions, in detention facilities in Syria.

Most detainees in Syria have experienced one or more methods of torture with the regime employing 83 types of torture.  The regime has tortured and killed its real and perceived critics, human rights defenders, journalists, and medical professionals.  Syrian refugees returning to Syria also face torture, including to extract confessions, after being arbitrarily detained upon return.  While the Assad regime is responsible for the vast majority of violations and abuses in Syria, non-state actors have also committed cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; physical abuse; and sexual violence against civilians.  It is clear that since 2011, Syrians continue to face horrific human rights abuses perpetrated by the Assad regime and other parties.  Impunity for atrocities is unacceptable and accountability is necessary to pursue the stability and peace that Syrians need and deserve.

This event will address the systemic use of torture in Syria and explore how the international community can continue to advance justice and accountability efforts for perpetrators.

The following themes and questions will guide the event:

• Patterns: What are the trends of torture that Syrians face 13 years into the conflict?
• Missing Persons: How does the use of torture impact the arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared in Syria?  How is torture used against family members searching for their missing loved ones?  In light of the establishment of the new UN Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP), how can progress be made on this issue?
• Gendered Impact: How is sexual violence weaponized in Syria?  What are the unique challenges that women and girls face with torture?
• Displaced Persons: How does the use of torture impact returning refugees and internally displaced persons both inside and outside regime-held territory?
• Accountability: What tools are available to hold the Syrian regime accountable for torture and other abuses?  Where are justice and accountability efforts heading, especially considering recent, increased diplomatic engagement with the regime?

Speakers:

Dr. Dafna H. Rand, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, USA. 

Beth Van Schaack, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, USA. 

Natasha Franceschi, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, USA.

Isabelle Rome, Ambassador at Large for Human Rights, France. 

Guusje Korthals Altes, Director for North Africa and the Middle East, the Netherlands.  

Luise Amtsberg, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, Germany. 

Faisal bin Abdullah Al Hanzab, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qatar.  

Stephen Hickey, Director of Middle East and North Africa, United Kingdom. 

Dr. Martin Larose, Director General, Middle East Bureau, Global Affairs Canada. 

Theo Boutruche, Head of the Rule of Law and Transitional Justice Unit for the Syria Office, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Fadel Abdulghany, Head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).

Dr. Mahmoud Aswad, Executive Manager, Lawyers and Doctors for Human Rights (LDHR).

Mariam Kamalmaz, Daughter of Forcibly Disappeared and Killed U.S. Citizen Majd Kamalmaz.

Moderator:

Emma Beals, Syria Expert and Independent Consultant on Peace and Foreign Policy.

Location: New York Hilton Midtown & virtually

This will be a hybrid event, where attendants are welcome to join either in-person or tune in via Zoom.

If you are planning to attend in-person, please fill the form on this link. 

If you are planning to tune in via Zoom, please fill the form on this link. 

This event will be conducted in English, with Arabic interpretation available.

You can also watch the event live on SNHR’s social media channels:

SNHR Twitter
SNHR Facebook
SNHR YouTube

For any question, please do not hesitate to contact Abdullah Bassam at:

abdullah@snhr.org 

The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:

On Friday, September 13, 2024, the National News Agency, Lebanon’s official news agency, which is affiliated with the country’s Ministry of Media, reported a statement attributed to Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which the news agency said had been made during a meeting between Abdullah Bou Habib, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants in Lebanon’s caretaker government, and a Menikdiwela-headed UNHCR delegation, held to discuss the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. In the statement, Menikdiwela claimed that the UNHCR has seen a positive shift in the Syrian regime government’s handling of the issue of displaced people, adding that there is a momentum that can be utilized with respect to the issue of the Syria’s early recovery, which would pave the way for the return of refugees. Menikdiwela also revealed that the UNHCR is working to secure the ‘voluntary’ return of 30,000 Syrian refugees from Lebanon to Syria in the near future.

The claims made in the UN official’s statement are wholly inconsistent with the violations still being perpetrated by the Syrian regime, including gross violations, such as torture and enforced disappearance, with the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) still regularly documenting such violations and reporting on them in our daily news articles and monthly reports. Such claims also contradict the reports issued by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, including its most recent report on September 9, and the reports issued by the UN Human rights Office (OHCHR), including a report issued on February 13, 2024, which confirmed that many Syrians who had fled the war face serious human rights violations and abuses upon returning to Syria, as well as reports by international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International. It seems that Menikdiwela has failed to look at the overwhelming majority of these human rights reports which directly contradict her claims on this issue; had she done so, she would surely not have made such a suspicious statement.