Syria’s March Constitutional Declaration, which is meant to govern the country’s transitional period, promised a commission “with effective, consultative, and victim-centered mechanisms to determine accountability, the right to truth, and redress for victims and survivors.” But the May 17 decree limits its focus to crimes committed by the Assad government, excluding victims of abuses by non-state actors. The creation of the National Commission for the Missing has been met with cautious optimism, but its success—like the Transitional Justice Commission’s—will depend on transparency, a rights-based framework, and genuine victim participation. Syria’s authorities should build on successful examples of collaboration between UN mechanisms and victims’ groups—such as the UN Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria—and ensure that survivors and affected communities play a central role in shaping the design, objectives, and implementation of the transitional justice process.
Author: Human Rights Watch
Published at: 2025-05-19 22:00:00
Still want to read the full version? Full article
