UN Commission Accuses Syria Of Crimes Against Humanity

The UN-backed independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a report Thursday accusing Syrian armed and security forces of crimes against humanity. The report, documenting human rights violations since the beginning of the Syria uprising in March 2011, also accused armed opposition groups of serious violations. Al Monitor interviewed the panel’s chairman, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, about the report.

Sophie Claudet

Feb 23, 2012

Paulo Pinheiro, chairperson of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria attends the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva September 16, 2013. Killings, crimes and other abuses by rebels, including foreign fighters invoking jihad, or holy war, have increased in northern Syria, U.N. human rights investigators said on Monday. Pinheiro, reporting on suspected war crimes since July 15, also said President Bashar al-Assad's government had continued a relentless campaign of air bombardment and artillery — Paulo Pinheiro, chairperson of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria attends the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Sept. 16, 2013. — REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

The UN-backed independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a report on Thursday documenting human rights violations ¹ since the beginning of the Syria uprising in March 2011. The report puts most of the blame on the Syrian armed and security forces, which its says committed crimes against humanity. But the commission also accuses armed opposition groups of serious human rights violations. It also drew up a list of perpetrators that includes officials at the highest level of government. The list is being kept secret but could be used in any future prosecutions of those responsible for crimes. The commission was not granted access to the country by Syrian authorities and has relied on interviews with 369 witnesses and victims. Commission Chairman Paulo Pinheiro spoke to Al Monitor:

What has changed significantly since you last produced a report on rights violations in Syria, in November?