United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Torture, Inhumane, and Degrading Treatment and Punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, suggested the establishment of a “hybrid court” to hold accountable the perpetrators of torture and violations in Syria.

Alice Jill Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Inhumane, and Degrading Treatment and Punishment, expressed her support for the establishment of a “hybrid court” that would investigate violations during Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria, involving international actors.

Attending the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Edwards shared her evaluations on the post-Assad regime process in Syria. She emphasized the significant change in Syria’s situation following the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, noting ongoing discussions on the reforms needed in Syria. Stressing the importance of the involvement of victims and survivors of torture in this process, Edwards stated that “people from all walks of life, including torture victims and advocates, can play a role during this process.”

Edwards mentioned the continued lawsuit against Syria jointly filed by the Netherlands and Canada in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), suggesting a postponement due to changing circumstances.

VISIBLE PART OF THE ICEBERG
Alice Jill Edwards highlighted presenting a comprehensive file documenting 34 separate allegations of individuals subjected to torture, pointing out that the recent violations in the past two months are merely the visible part of the iceberg. As part of the BM ecosystem as a rapporteur, Edwards highlighted tracking the recent 2 visits of the BM’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria to the country, sharing a report documenting widespread torture in January along with extremely inhumane detention conditions.

CRIMES COMMITTED IN THE PAST 10 YEARS
Edwards stressed the need for revealing the crimes committed in Syria over the past 10 years through a justice process involving both national and international actors. Emphasizing the importance of conducting this process with advanced evidence collection techniques, Edwards stated that punishing the crimes of the Assad regime and tracing missing persons are critically important for societal healing. She also underscored the necessity of providing compensation and rehabilitation to torture victims, preserving evidence, and ensuring international support.

LEADERSHIP IN SYRIA
Referring to the review of the situation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its Prosecutor, Edwards stated, “I believe that implementing procedures at the highest level by the ICC and conducting investigations are crucial, as we have seen in other conflicts. Ensuring accountability for these individuals at the highest levels and holding them responsible for these crimes are extremely important.” Edwards emphasized the role of the international community in ensuring this in Syria and stated, “This process, involving individuals from all sectors of Syria, should be under Syrian leadership. People should not be excluded from these ongoing discussions. The UN and other international actors play a crucial protective role in ensuring that this process progresses in a manner consistent with human rights, democracy, openness, and transparency to achieve accountability. I think other actors and states should also support Syria at this time.”