UN reports systematic, unprecedented crimes in Syria during Assad regime

By Muhammet Ikbal Arslan and Zehra Nur Celik

GENEVA / ANKARA (AA) - The head of the UN’s International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism for Syria said Tuesday that unprecedented crimes were systematically committed during Bashar al-Assad’s rule in Syria.

“The amount, the systematic commission of crimes and the types of crimes were quite unprecedented,” Robert Petit told Anadolu.

Petit heads the UN department tasked with uncovering the worst crimes committed in Syria since 2011. It includes cases involving the use of chemical weapons on civilians and the prison system.

“There was no justice in Syria for those who were committing these crimes. There was total impunity,” he said.

“It's fundamentally important that those key architects of those crimes must be held criminally responsible and judged properly so that the truth can be established and the proper accountability can take place,” said Petit.

- Collecting the evidence

Petit noted his team’s visit on Dec. 20 - 21, when they were granted access to a site containing a vast number of files.

“We know from all our information that there's obviously an incredible amount of information that is still there, although a lot also has been destroyed and stolen and lost that for years was used within the apparatus of the government to commit atrocities,” Petit said.

He stressed that the situation remains highly fragile, with an ongoing risk that more evidence will be lost or destroyed.

“We’re hoping to be able to go and start working in Syria. We’re still waiting for permission,” he said.

Petit emphasized that evidence at specific sites is essential in establishing accountability for those most responsible for crimes committed in Syria.

- International community backs Syrian-led transition amid ongoing challenges

Petit said the international community has been mobilized to support Syria since the Assad regime collapsed in December.

“I think the international community as a whole … aims to support a process that the Syrians will lead and will themselves decide on,” he said.

He warned that the humanitarian situation remains “very dire.”

“It is still a very fluid situation, certainly a transition. The new caretaker authorities are being very active and trying to establish their control,” he said. “I think overall, there’s a lot of reason to be hopeful, but at the same time, there are a lot of challenges ahead.”