Special Court to Prosecute Perpetrators of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

Gaziantep, Turkey – The Syrian Commission for Transitional Justice and the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies announced today that it will hold a meeting on February 6 and 7 in Istanbul, Turkey for considering means of establishing a Syrian Special Court to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. Syrian lawyers, judges, human rights organizations, and victims of human rights abuses are expected to attend the gathering in order to provide insight into future Syrian accountability and reconciliation processes.  At the meeting, Syrian human rights organizations are also scheduled to discuss methods for establishing a central database of human rights violations in Syria to serve as a unified cache of evidence for future prosecutions.

Dr. Radwan Ziadeh, head of the Syrian Commission for Transitional Justice explained the importance of creating a Syrian Special Court, saying, “The only hope for breaking the endless cycle of impunity in Syria is to immediately create a Special Court capable of holding perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity accountable for their actions.”

The Syrian Interim Government established the Syrian Commission for Transitional Justice in November 2013. The Commission is tasked with leading on the transitional justice file in Syria.

The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies is a non-governmental organization devoted to fostering a spirit of support and respect for the values and standards of human rights in Syria.

For additional information about the Damascus Center for Human Right Studies or the Syrian Commission for Transitional Justice please contact Mojahed Ghadban at
info@dchrs.org and info@syriatransitionaljustice.org