Published on: 2026-09-08
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
September 8, 2026 Peace and Security
Comprehensive accountability, inclusiveness, and strong guarantees that gross human rights violations will not happen again are necessary for a successful transitional period in Syria. This statement was made by independent experts at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
Presenting their latest report, members of the Independent International Commission of the UN on the investigation of events in Syria noted significant achievements the country has made since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime almost two years ago. Among them are the creation of legislative bodies and the Constitutional Court.
The difficult path to recovery
Experts emphasized that building state institutions in Syria based on respect for human rights is a challenging task, especially when it is simultaneously necessary to overcome the consequences of past crimes and try to prevent their recurrence in the future.
The Commission’s mandate includes investigating all alleged violations of international human rights law committed since March 2011, when a bloody conflict began in the country against the backdrop of Assad’s long-standing authoritarian rule.
“A full understanding and investigation of not only longstanding but also recent violence is a necessary condition for national reconciliation,” said Commission member Monia Ammar.
She recalled the outbreaks of violence on the Syrian coast and in the western parts of the country in early 2025, in As-Suwayda in the summer of the same year, as well as the aftermath of the January clashes between government forces and the Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to her, hundreds of people have been reported missing following these events.
Transitional period issues
The transitional phase in Syria is taking place after more than a decade of civil war and systematic human rights violations. Experts have welcomed the ongoing engagement with the country’s new authorities, but warned that the trials conducted so far are insufficient for achieving justice.
Among the most serious challenges, they named the consequences of Israeli military activity on Syrian territory, issues with holding the guilty accountable, limited civil space, the heavy political and economic legacy of the conflict, gender-based violence, ongoing instability in As-Suwayda, and the situation in detention facilities in the northeast of the country.
The Commission also expressed concern about reports of deaths in custody, arrests of public activists, the spread of hate speech and online harassment, as well as threats of violence against women, especially women human rights defenders and community leaders.
Concerns about Israel’s actions
According to experts, the Israeli military presence on Syrian territory is becoming increasingly extensive. This involves ground operations, patrolling, raids, and searches that have already led to the displacement of the civilian population.
As of September, Israeli forces have detained 49 people on Syrian territory, including two children, with some of the detainees being held without contact with the outside world.
“We are deeply concerned about the violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by Israel on Syrian territory, which may qualify as war crimes,” said Commission member Fionnuala Ní Aoláin.
Detention camps and the situation in the northeast of the country
The report pays special attention to the situation in northeastern Syria. The commission is investigating alleged violations committed during the January clashes between Kurdish militias and government forces, including reports of killings of detainees.
Experts also expressed concern over the worsening conditions in camps holding individuals suspected of links to the terrorist group ISIS (Daesh).
The Commission once again called for the immediate closure of the Al-Rawaj camp, which houses more than two thousand people, mostly women and children, as well as for the repatriation of all foreign nationals held in this camp.
According to experts, more than a hundred foreign children are still being held in northeastern Syria, some of whom have been there since 2019.
In addition, Commission members expressed serious concern regarding the fact that earlier this year, more than 5,700 men and teenagers were forcibly transported to Iraq by US forces. According to available data, among them were representatives of over 60 nationalities, including Syrian citizens.
The need for international support
In conclusion, the Commission emphasized that the UN Human Rights Council and the international community must continue to play an important role in supporting Syrian efforts to strengthen the human rights protection system.
“The new authorities of Syria will be able to live up to the hopes of their people if they manage to overcome the legacy of years of violence and build a solid foundation based on respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms, which will prevent such tragedies from recurring in the future,” stated Monia Ammar, confirming the Commission’s readiness to continue assisting the country during the period of transitional transformations.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic was established by the UN Human Rights Council after the unrest began in March 2011, which later escalated into a long-running war. The members of the Commission work independently of the UN system, are not its staff, and do not receive a salary for their activities.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.