About Us

We are a group of Afrin’s daughters and sons who love its soil and are devoted to its olive groves. In honour of the history of our ancestors and their struggle for the people and land; for the trees to reclaim their splendour; and for families and loved ones to return to their mountains, plains, and homes, we founded Lêlûn as the first step on the path towards justice and the restoration of rights to their owners.Throughout the Syrian conflict, the Afrin region struggled with existential threats and countless violations. The violations became systemic and coordinated after the Turkey-led Operation Olive Branch in 2018, as Turkey and its affiliated armed groups controlled the region.

Seeking to achieve justice, several young men and women from Afrin, with different ethnic, religious, social, and political affiliations, came together to establish the Lêlûn Association for the Victims of Violations in Afrin. The association aims to help all victims equally, defend their rights, and channel their voices.

The name Lêlûn is deeply rooted in the local culture of the Afrin region, famous for its olive groves. Of Kurdish origin, Lêlûn is an olive when still green, while also the name of a mountain overlooking the city of Afrin.

We will work to advocate for Afrin; support all the victims; seek redress; document what happened and what is happening; ensure all displaced persons and refugees can return to their original places of residence in a safe, dignified, and voluntary manner; and guarantee they can recover their property by shedding light on their enduring tragedy, documenting the numerous violations they are suffering, and carrying out advocacy campaigns in cooperation with various institutions and organizations, both local and international.

We will contribute to efforts seeking accountability by providing evidence related to the violations committed by all parties to the conflict against Afrin’s people and to those seeking redress for victims.

OUR VISION

Justice for the victims, uncovering the truth, accountability, and equal rights for all.

OUR MISSION

Lêlûn documents human rights violations and seeks redress for all victims in Afrin and across Syria. We promote human rights, support victims, and defend their rights.

OUR VALUES

Independence, inclusivity, integrity, accuracy and objectivity.

WHAT WE DO

1. Publications :

Lêlûn publishes four types of materials:

• News offering brief and facts-based pieces, covering recent events and related information to a wide public.
• Thematic reports investigating certain issues, cases, or incidents, building on extensive interviews, testimonies, and evidence.
• Press release and statements are individual or collective communications and commentaries, written by local or international organizations.
• Stories and testimonies, sharing the experiences of the victims of violations, including detention, torture, and displacement.

2. Advocacy :

In partnership with local and international organizations, we will carry out advocacy activities and campaigns that aim to shed light on the suffering of the people of Afrin and the occupied areas in northern Syria and expose the violations perpetrated against them.

3. Victim Support :

We will work to support the victims through various mechanisms designed to accommodate the needs and priorities of the victims and their families.

4. Database :

We will build a database to document individual violations to use the information aggregated in advocacy campaigns and to contribute to the efforts of justice at both the domestic and international levels.

5. The Afrin Community Abroad :

We will organize various activities and events to build a community of the people of Afrin in the diaspora. To this end, we will cooperate with Kurdish, Syrian, and international organizations.