UN rights chief urges accountability in Syria, sees huge chance for fair transition

Record ID: 1884090

  • Title: UN rights chief urges accountability in Syria, sees huge chance for fair transition
  • Date: 9th December 2024
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 9, 2024) (REUTERS) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, ARRIVING PRESS NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, SAYING: “But it is also true that the ICC (International Criminal Court) is not going to replace what needs to happen in Syria itself, is to build up a domestic legal system that allows for fair trials in relation to all those where indeed there are serious grounds to believe that they have committed atrocity crimes. And that goes also for the president or the former president of Syria and whoever was in senior leadership positions. There are indeed serious grounds to believe that they may have committed atrocity crimes, and as a result, yes, they should be brought to justice. And I do not see this different from a transition process.” PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, SAYING: “Any political transition must ensure accountability for perpetrators of serious violations and guarantee that those responsible are held to account. It is imperative that all evidence be collected and preserved meticulously for future use. Reform of the security apparatus will be key. This transition must also ensure that the tragedy of missing people is addressed.” VARIOUS OF PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, SAYING: “So I hope that within this current environment that obviously there will be this inclusive, very inclusive dialogue that involves - we always talk about women, peace and security - that involves women, that involves young people, that involves each and every segment of the Syrian society to forge a vision for the future of the country. There is a huge chance for this to happen. And what we have seen initially is indeed cooperation, including by the authorities that are still there, the institutions of the state. You saw that with the prime minister and the various factions that are currently, that have taken over control.” VARIOUS OF CAMERA SCREEN SHOWING TURK DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, SAYING: “We need to stem the flow of arms into Haiti, Sudan and Myanmar to put on notice those providing arms, including to Israel and non-state armed actors in Lebanon, Syria, the occupied Palestinian territory, that international law requires states to exercise care that weapons they provide are not used to commit violations. We need to insist that it is not OK and not legal to use anti-personal mines in Ukraine. It is not OK to provide them for use there. And it is not OK to reduce the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.” PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, SAYING: “Just this past weekend, at least 184 people were killed in violence orchestrated by the leader of a powerful gang in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince in the Cite Soleil area. These latest killings bring the death toll just this year in Haiti to a staggering 5,000 people.” VARIOUS OF PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, VOLKER TURK, SAYING: “It is crucial that states summon the leadership and political energy required to tackle the massive ongoing and worsening catastrophe that is the triple planetary crisis. I am concerned by the lack of ambition shown in the most recent climate negotiations and by reports that some countries are considering backing out of their commitments to climate action. We cannot continue like this. States have a legal obligation to prevent foreseeable harm to their people and their rights.” PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF TURK LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF U.N.
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2024 12:24
  • Keywords: Assad Haiti High Commissioner ICC Syria Ukraine United Nations Volker Turk climate change human rights
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Middle East,Government/Politics,United Nations
  • Reuters ID: LVA001578809122024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The U.N. human rights chief called on Monday (December 9) for accountability for perpetrators of abuse under toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and said that there was a "huge chance" for an inclusive political transition and that early signs were promising.
    Syrians awoke on Monday to a hopeful if uncertain future, after rebels seized the capital Damascus and Assad fled to Russia, following 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of brutal Assad family rule.
    "Any political transition must ensure accountability for perpetrators of serious violations, and guarantee that those responsible are held to account," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told a Geneva press briefing, calling for meticulous preservation of evidence.
    Asked specifically whether that included the ousted president, he said: "What needs to happen in Syria itself is to build up a domestic legal system that allows for fair trials, in relation to all those where there are serious grounds to believe that they have committed atrocity crimes. And that goes also for the former president of Syria and whoever was in senior leadership positions."
    Turk said there was a "huge chance" for inclusive dialogue on the political transition in Syria's new era.
    Turk's office pointed to the disappearance of more than 100,000 people during the war alone, and the use of torture and chemical weapons.
    Syria is not currently a member of the International Criminal Court, although a new government could join it. Russia blocked past attempts at the U.N. Security Council to refer Syria to the court.
    At the same press conference, called to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, Turk urged states to stem arms flows to conflicts such as those in Haiti, Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine.
    He also said at least 184 people had been killed in gang violence in Haiti's capital over the weekend, bringing this year's total death toll to a "staggering" 5,000.
    (Production: Cecile Mantovani)
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