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.

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 Global Alliance on War, Conflict & Health (GAWCH), in partnership with the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), cordially invites you to the webinar, ‘Double Burden: Exploring the Correlation Between Displacement and Healthcare Crises in Syria’ on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 17:00-18:00 Syria time (14:00-15:00 UTC/07:00-08:00 PDT).

The webinar will explore the impact of the systematic attacks targeting medical facilities in Syria, specifically with respect to 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 panelists will also explore 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 what the international community can to do respond more efficiently and prevent attacks on healthcare infrastructure in conflict zones will also be 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.

Speakers

Moderator: 

Dr. Annie Sparrow, Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) 

Speaker:  

Fadel Abdulghany, Executive Director, Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) 

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

To attend the event via Zoom, please fill out this form.

The Hague – Syrian Network for Human Rights:

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) participated in an event held in London, entitled, ‘Achieving Justice in Syria: Challenges and Opportunities for the New UK Government’, which was jointly organized by the Syrian British Consortium (SBC) and Amnesty International UK. The event panelists discussed the ongoing efforts to achieve justice in Syria, and the SBC’s recent report on the crimes committed in Damascus University by the National Union of Syrian Students (NUSS). The panelists also discussed the instrumental role of the international community, including the UK government, in supporting efforts to attain justice in Syria.

The event featured Dr. Yaman Alqadri, a clinical psychologist and survivor of NUSS violations; Dr. Yasmine Nahlawi of the SBC; Mazen Darwish, Director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM); and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director, with Emma Beals of the Middle East Institute, acting as moderator.

In his address, Mr. Abdulghany shed light on the state of human rights in Syria in 2024, noting that SNHR has continued to document extrajudicial killings of civilians since the start of year, including in July. As of the start of July, 2024, he revealed the group had so far documented the killing of no fewer than 429 civilians, including 65 children and 38 women, as well as four medical personnel, at the hands of the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria. In addition, he continued, SNHR had recorded no fewer than 1,236 cases of arbitrary arrest/detention, with the detainees including 56 children and 30 women, at the hands of the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria in the same period, while at least 53 individuals, including one child, have died due to torture at the hands of the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria.

Mr. Abdulghany also highlighted the Syrian regime’s continuing arrests and detentions of refugees forcibly deported from Lebanon, and of internally displaced persons (IDPs) trying to return to their areas of origin in regime-held areas. In that regard, Mr. Abdulghany emphasized that the regime’s persistent practices of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and torture, have repeatedly violated the order issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The SNHR head added that SNHR had recorded at least 57 attacks on vital civilian facilities at the hands of the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria between the start of 2024 and the beginning of July.

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

Thursday, May 16, 2024, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) held an online event entitled, ‘Accountability Efforts After 13 Years of Atrocities in Syria’. The event, which was livestreamed via Zoom and SNHR’s channels, featured Michelle Jarvis, Deputy Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM); Linnea Arvidsson from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI); Patrick Kroker from the International Crimes and Accountability Program at the ECCHR; Helena Krüger, a Legal Advisor with the ECCHR; and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director, with Rula Asad, a co-founder of the Syrian Female Journalists Network, serving as moderator.

The event participants discussed the joint report recently released by the two groups, SNHR and the ECCHR, entitled, ‘Patchwork Justice for Syria?’. This report sheds light on the accountability efforts, and the ongoing investigations and trials related to Syria. The report also discusses the role of international mechanisms such as the IIIM, the COI, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as other actors, including justice facilitators, as well as attempting to outline the role of the criminal investigations, trials, and prosecutions currently underway. In addition, the report pinpoints the existing gaps in accountability efforts, such as prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence crimes, corporate accountably, and targeting other actors who have yet to be held accountable. Additionally, the report provides an outline of potential future developments.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) cordially invites you to the launch event of the joint report, ‘The Accountability Efforts after 13 years of atrocities in Syria’. The event is set to be held online on Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 16:00 to 18:00 CET (17:00-19:00 Syria time).

Since 2011, when the Syrians took the street to demand democracy and human rights, they have been exposed to all types of grave international crimes, primarily from the Assad regime, but later on also from other parties of the conflict. The blockage of the referral of Syria situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by Russian and Chinese veto in the UN Security Council, has led to accountability efforts focusing mainly on third states, who have, often under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

Some remarkable results concerning investigations and trials have been achieved in Germany, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and other countries. But many more crimes and perpetrators remain unaddressed.

The event will discuss:

• The report, which provides an overview of the state of the art of accountability efforts, the ongoing investigations and trials relating to Syria.
• The role of international mechanisms, such as the IIIM, as well as NGOs and other actors as justice-facilitators, the ongoing criminal investigations, prosecutions, proceedings and trials.
• The gaps in the accountability efforts, which the report is portraying, such as prosecuting conflict related sexual violence (CRSV), corporate accountability and other actors that have not yet been held to account. Brief outlook on potential future developments.

Speakers
Michelle Jarvis, Deputy Head of the IIIM
Linnea Arvidsson, COI
Patrick Kroker, International Crimes and Accountability Program, ECCHR
Helena Krüger, Legal Advisor at the ECCHR
Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director

Moderator
Rula Asad, co-founder of the Syrian Female Journalists Network

To attend the event via Zoom, please fill out the form.
The 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

If you have any enquiries, please contact Mr. Rafat Suleiman (SNHR) at:
+33970444388
rafat@snhr.org

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

On Monday, April 29, 2024, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, in collaboration with Baytna, held an in-person event entitled, ‘The Devastating Effects of Humanitarian Aid Cuts in Syria: Challenges and Strategies to Mitigate the Disaster’ on the sidelines of the Brussels VIII Conference 2024 in the Belgian capital. The event, which was live-streamed on SNHR’s social media channel, featured Mazen Kewara M.D., the M.E. Regional Director at the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS); Riyad Al Najem, Executive Director of Child Guardian; Atef Nanoua, CEO of the Mulham Team; Razan Brghol Head of Programs at Baytna; and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR’s Executive Director, with Jelnar Ahmad, Research and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) manager at IMPACT, serving as moderator.

The participants discussed the serious issue of humanitarian aid cuts in Syria, focusing on the recent cuts announced by the World Food Programme (WFP) in addition to tackling the impact of the Russian veto in obstructing international cross-border aid and preventing the development of sustainable solutions, as well as its devastating impact on the lives of millions of displaced people in parallel with the WFP’s cuts. In regard to these issues, the speakers proposed a number of ideas to mitigate the adverse effects of these dangerous cuts, including prioritizing the need to mobilize international support to increase humanitarian support inside Syria.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), in collaboration with Baytna, cordially invites you to attend an event entitled, ‘The Devastating Effects of Humanitarian Aid Cuts in Syria: Challenges and Strategies to Mitigate the Disaster’. The event is set to be held, in person and online, in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on Monday April 29, 2024, from 11:00 to 13:00 Syria time (10:00-12:00 CET).
Place: Thon Hotel EU, Rue de la Loi 75, 1040 Brussels
Room: Netherlands 1 & 2

The continuous systematic and widespread violations in Syria for the past 13 years, primarily by the Syrian regime and its allies, but also by the other parties to the conflict, have created waves of forced displacement of millions of Syrians, generating one of the most severe humanitarian crises of the modern age. With no political solution on the horizon, the fate of millions of displaced people has become principally dependent on humanitarian aid. The United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) announcement of significant reductions in its aid program in Syria was a horrific shock for tens of thousands of families and Syrian civil society workers. These huge cuts pose a serious threat to the lives and health of millions of Syrians, especially women and children.
These cuts have not been limited to relief organizations but have also affected many other sectors, including documentation of human rights violations, and education, among others.

This event is being held to discuss the serious issue of humanitarian aid cuts in Syria, focusing on the recent cuts announced by the WFP. The participants will also discuss the impact of the Russian veto in obstructing international cross-border aid and preventing the building of sustainable solutions, as well as its devastating impact on the lives of millions of displaced people in parallel with the WFP’s cuts.
The event also aims to present ideas to mitigate the adverse effects, including prioritizing the need to mobilize international support to increase humanitarian support inside Syria, through tackling the following talking points:

1. Overview of the humanitarian crisis in Syria: current situation, key statistics, and specific needs of displaced people, focusing on women and children.
2. The impact of reducing aid: Discuss the root causes of reducing aid and the consequences of that reduction on relief, human rights, and educational organizations, which are a primary partner and source for many international organizations.
3. The impact of the Russian veto on UN Cross-border humanitarian aid: Discussing the danger of obstructing cross-border aid in parallel with the massive reduction in humanitarian aid and proposing alternatives if this occurs.
4. Mitigation strategies: Identify strategies and initiatives to deal with the reduced levels of support, enhance the efficiency of aid delivery, including establishing a unified, centralized local coordination platform, and assess the impact of the controlling powers’ actions in humanitarian aid intervention.
5. International Response and Cooperation: Examining the role of the international community, including donor countries, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, in responding to the humanitarian crisis inside Syria, discussing international measures to address the reasons for the reduction in support, and working to enhance coordination and cooperation, firstly between and among international agencies, then between these international agencies and local agencies, including ensuring continued support for displaced Syrians until the implementation of a political solution that guarantees a safe and dignified return of displaced Syrians to their homes and businesses.

Speakers
Mazen Kewara MD., ME Regional Director, SAMS
Riyad Al Najem, Executive Director, Child Guardian
Atef Nanoua, CEO, Mulham Team
Razan Brghol, Head of Program, Baytna
Fadel Abdulghany, Executive Director, Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)

Moderator
Jelnar Ahmad, Research and M&E manager, IMPACT

To attend in person, please fill out the form below:
https://forms.gle/6XS4aKhjKw4ZpNH18

To attend virtually via Zoom, please fill out the form below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0l5iqRANQ7SuWIlIEs-avw

The 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

If you have any enquiries, please contact Mr. Rafat Suleiman (SNHR) at:
+33970444388
rafat@snhr.org

Views, thoughts and opinions expressed during these events reflect solely those of the speakers and do not constitute endorsement by the European Union

Press release: (Download the full statement below)

On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), represented by its Executive Director Fadel Abdulghany, participated in an event held by the British Embassy in the Netherlands, entitled, ‘Access to Truth and Justice for Victims’. The aim of the event, which featured a host of legal advisors/diplomatic representatives from various embassies in The Hague and from international organizations and NGOs, was to promote a better understanding of the primary importance of justice for victims of injustice and their families, while also tackling the current challenges surrounding the mechanisms supporting access to truth and how institutions can assist in ensuring access to truth and justice.

The event featured Andres Kleiser, Director for Policy and Cooperation at the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP); Alejandra Vicente, Head of Law at REDRESS; and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director, with Deborah Ruiz Verduzco, the Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) serving as moderator.

On the same date, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, SNHR also participated in another event, an online webinar held on Zoom, entitled ‘Addressing Current Chemical Weapons Convention Compliance Challenges’. Organized by the CWC Coalition and the US-based Arms Control Association (ACA), the event featured Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, a former OPCW Director-General; Ambassador Susannah Gordon, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the Netherlands; and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director, with Mina Rozei, CWC Coalition Project Coordinator, serving as moderator.

On Friday, March 15, 2024, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) held an event marking the 13^th anniversary of the start of the popular uprising in Syria, entitled, ‘Thirteen Years of Death, Torture, and Disappearance: Examining Human Rights Abuses and Accountability Opportunities in Syria”. Sponsored by the Untied States, Germany, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France, the event featured: Christopher Le Mon, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant of the US Secretary of State; Ethan Goldrich, Deputy Assistant of the US Secretary of State; Stefan Schneck, Germany’s Special Envoy for Syria; Ann Snow, the UK’s Special Envoy for Syria; Gijs Gerlag, the Netherlands’ Special Envoy for Syria; Antoine Alheritiere, Deputy Head of Near East Department of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Linnea Arvidsson of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI); Maymouna Al-Ammar, an activist who also serves as the Communication & Advocacy Manager at Child Guardians; Sawsan Al-Habbali, member of Caesar Families Association; and Fadel Abdulghany, SNHR Executive Director, with Razan Brghol, Head of Program Baytna, serving as Baytna. The event was streamed live on SNHR’s various social media platforms in Arabic and English, as well as on Zoom.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) cordially invites you to attend the international event, ‘Thirteen Years of Death, Torture, and Disappearance:  Examining Human Rights Abuses and Accountability Opportunities in Syria’. The event, which is sponsored by the United States, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom, is set to be held on Friday, March 15, 2024, at 10.00 – 11.00 EST (15.00 – 16.00 CET, 17.00 – 18.00 Syria time)

This event will address the ongoing human rights violations and abuses that Syrians continue to face 13 years into the conflict, including the unjust detention or disappearance of 155,000 people, and explore how the international community can advance justice and accountability efforts to hold perpetrators of violations and abuses accountable.

This March marks 13 years since the Syrian people courageously and peacefully took to the streets to demand freedom and respect for human rights.  Thirteen years later, the Assad regime continues its brutality, as the regime has been responsible for innumerable atrocities, some of which rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity.  Estimates of those killed since the beginning of the conflict range up to 550,000 victims.  Reports by human rights groups, UN entities, and eyewitnesses describe how the regime continues to arbitrarily detain, torture, and kill political opponents, activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and medical professionals.  The regime, along with Russia, also continues to target civilians in aerial and artillery attacks, including through the use of incendiary and cluster weapons. Today, there are over 6.9 Syrian million internally displaced persons (IDPS) and 6.8 refugees according to the UNHCR, as the human rights and humanitarian situation in Syria is rapidly worsening.  Forcibly displaced Syrians face significant risks of mistreatment upon return, and many have nowhere to return as a result of widespread destruction or the regime’s confiscation of their property.  Protection thresholds have not been met for the safe, voluntary, informed, and dignified return of refugees to Syria.

SNHR estimates that at least 155,000 persons in Syria remain arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared, with the regime responsible for the vast majority of these missing persons.  The regime holds individuals without charges and in many cases detains them merely for peacefully protesting.  Family members seeking to obtain information about their missing loved ones face risks of detention, abuse, and exploitation when inquiring directly with the regime.  Detainees are often held in detention centers for years without any information provided on their status in overcrowded, unsanitary, and abhorrent conditions, while detainees are also systmeitcally subjected to many forms of tortre, including the systemic use of sexual and gender-based violence.  Despite these grave risks, the regime continues to deny complete access for impartial and independent entities to most detention facilities.  To address holistically the tragedy of missing persons in Syria, the UN General Assembly established the humanitarian mandated “Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic” (IIMP) in June 2023. The IIMP’s goal is to help advance the right to know the truth about these individuals’ fate and whereabouts, for progress on the missing persons issue is absolutely vital to promote lasting stability in Syria.

Impunity for the Assad regime’s horrific atrocities over the past 13 years is unacceptable. It is clear Syrians continue to face horrific human rights abuses at the hands of the Assad regime; such disregard for life is evidence that the regime has done nothing to merit normalization by the international community.  The pursuit of a political resolution to the conflict in line with UNSCR 2254 can help secure the stable, just, and enduring peace that Syrians deserve. The event will focus on the following questions:

• Overall Trends: What types of abuses are Syrians facing as we enter the 14th year of the conflict?  How has the regime’s perpetration of atrocities shifted over the years including who is now targeted, where, and how?
• Gender: How does the human rights situation in Syria uniquely impact women and girls?  What efforts are underway to advance human rights for women and girls?
• Missing Persons: In light of the establishment of the IIMP, how can progress be made on the right to know the truth for the 155,000 missing and unjustly detained persons in Syria?
• Displaced Persons: What types of abuses do IDPs and refugees face upon return to Syria and what makes returnees more vulnerable to regime abuses?
• Accountability: In light of recent universal jurisdiction cases in third countries and the ICJ case brought by Canada and the Netherlands under the Convention Against Torture, what are the prospects for expanding justice and accountability for human rights violations and abuses and violations of the law of armed conflict?

Speakers

Christopher Le Mon, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, USA

Ethan Goldrich, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, USA

Stefan Schneck, Special Envoy for Syria, Germany

Ann Snow, Special Envoy for Syria, UK

Gijs Gerlag, Special Envoy for Syria, the Netherlands

Antoine Alheritiere, Deputy Head of the Near East Department, France

Linnea Arvidsson, UN Commission of Inquiry

Maymouna Al-Ammar, Activist and Director of Media and Advocacy, Child Guardians

Sawsan Al-Habbali, Activist and Sister of prominent activist Osama Al-Habbali, who was forcibly disappeared by the Syrian regime.

Fadel Abdulghany, Director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights

Moderator

Razan Brghol, Head of Program, Baytna

Sponsored by:

USA, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands

To participate, please fill out the form below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SOodA6EAREmTiLSkcmCJxg

The 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 inquires, you can contact Mr. Rafat Suleiman (SNHR) at:

+33970444388

rafat@snhr.org