Yaser al-Farhan, Syria’s representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council, briefed the 63rd session in Geneva on transitional justice efforts. Farhan said 1,147 cases were under investigation.
Criminal court rules on five cases
Farhan said the criminal court responsible for transitional justice had concluded five cases and was continuing to review 12 others. In addition, 69 cases were before the investigating judge, while approximately 1,333 cases were being processed by the public prosecution.
The Syrian representative said that justice and accountability processes were being conducted without discrimination. Farhan said cooperation with the international commission of inquiry and other international organizations had been strengthened.
Farhan said the trials were being conducted in accordance with Syrian law as well as guarantees of a fair and public trial, the right to a defense, defendants’ ability to communicate with their families and victims’ participation in the proceedings. He added that international observers and representatives of relevant organizations had been allowed to attend hearings. Farhan also said the security of judicial proceedings and judicial independence would be protected.
Etki program launched for missing persons
Farhan said the Syrian National Institution for Missing Persons had taken important steps to establish its institutional structure and prepare the legal framework governing its work. He said these efforts were being carried out in consultation with victims’ families.
Farhan said the national Etki program had been launched to report missing persons and that a central database was being developed. He added that 194 field operations had been carried out as part of cases concerning missing persons and mass graves.
The National Institution for Missing Persons launched the Etki program on Aug. 30 to allow relatives of missing and forcibly disappeared people to register information about them. The program aims to create a national registry and help determine the fate of missing persons.
The institution was established as an independent body under a presidential decree issued in May 2025. Its responsibilities include documenting disappearances, creating a national database and tracking the fate of missing persons.
Farhan calls for action over Israel’s activities in Syria
Addressing developments in southern Syria, Farhan said Israel was continuing its bombardment of Syria, abductions, incursions into Syrian territory and attacks on civilians. He argued that these actions violated international resolutions as well as Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and breached the ceasefire agreement.
Farhan called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to work to establish the fate and whereabouts of Syrians reportedly forcibly disappeared by Israel and to secure their release.
The independent international commission of inquiry on Syria also briefed the session on developments in transitional justice and accountability. The commission expressed serious concern over the attacks on southern Syria and said these actions must end.
The commission thanked the Syrian government for its cooperation, which had enabled it to continue its work. United Nations documents said Syria’s new administration had allowed the commission access to the country. The documents also said commission members had previously discussed the events in the coastal areas with the National Commission of Inquiry and exchanged information on independent investigations.
The independent international commission of inquiry on Syria was established by an August 2011 resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The commission is mandated to investigate alleged human rights violations committed since March of that year and, where possible, identify those responsible.
