In her Opinion & Analysis piece on June 9th, Razan Ibraheem brought to light the agonising ordeal of numerous Syrian refugees who are seemingly reliving their trauma with the ongoing strife in Gaza, as it mirrors the atrocities initiated by President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, against a nonviolent protest. While acknowledging Razan’s lament about the global community’s failure to aid Syrians, we mustn’t disregard that the pursuit of justice continues. Individuals such as Anwar al-Bounni and Mazen Darwish, both human rights attorneys who suffered incarceration and torture under Assad’s rule, are leading this fight.
A significant development took place several weeks ago in a French court signifying success for Syrians seeking justice. Three high-ranking present and past officials of Assad’s government were prosecuted and convicted in absentia. They received life sentences for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Moreover, Assad and three other senior members, including his brother, have been handed an arrest warrant by another French court for their involvement in the deployment of chemical weapons – an act declared as a crime against humanity.
A notable beginning has been made, as highlighted in our film “Bringing Assad to Justice”, owing to efforts by Anwar, Mazen, and others. But, Assad’s regime carries on its infamous network of torture prisons, such as Saydnaya, termed by Amnesty International as a “human abattoir”.
Over 100,000 missing individuals remain untraceable. Substantial proportions of the population were expelled from their homes. Approximately seven million, including Razen, were either forced to evacuate the nation or take refuge in Idlib outside the regime’s jurisdiction. The exact death toll is difficult to ascertain since the UN ceased documenting years ago, but current estimates exceed 600,000.
Meanwhile, the regime, assisted by Russia, maintains its offensive against Idlib. While violence has lessened, returning refugees still face torture and disappearance.
By remembering and supporting Syrians in their pursuit of justice, we assist in safeguarding civilians across all disputed territories. We send an unequivocal message to all suspected war criminals, including those in Israel/Gaza, about the impending inevitability of facing justice. – Yours, etc. RONAN L TYNAN, (Director, “Bringing Assad to Justice”), Dublin 3.