HRC61 – Oral Statement on the situation in Syria
Statement by Legal Action Worldwide
Human Rights Council 61st Regular Session
ID on oral update of COI on the Syrian Arab Republic
Commissioners,
In 2025, 1,101 Syrians across 13 governorates spoke definitively: justice is not a secondary demand in the country’s political transition – it is its foundation.
In this nationwide survey conducted by Legal Action Worldwide between July and September 2025, 91% of Syrians said justice is necessary for peace. They described justice not only as punishment for past crimes, but as the restoration of rights, the rebuilding of dignity, the guarantee of equality before the law, and the prevention of future abuse. 83% percent ranked accountability among their top three priorities. 89% said preserving an accurate historical record is important. 85% emphasized that victim participation must be central to the process.
This message comes at a critical juncture. The national transitional justice bodies have now been in place for several months, mandated to begin consultations on accountability, reparations, truth-seeking, and non-recurrence. Initial steps have been taken, including internal structuring and engagement with selected stakeholders. Yet tangible progress remains limited, timelines remain unclear, and public communication has been sporadic.
When 91 percent of a population views justice as a prerequisite for peace, failure to deliver justice risks undermining peace itself.
Commissioners,
How will the Commission reinforce the urgency of a genuinely transformative transitional justice process – to ensure we don’t allow justice to drift into secondary priority?
Thank you.
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