Press releases

The undersigned Syrian civil society organisations and international and regional organisations welcome the renewal of the mandate of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria at the 61st Session of the Human Rights Council. We underscore the continued importance of the Commission’s investigations, public reporting, and efforts to support accountability, which remain critical, and call for sustained support to ensure …

27 April 2026 The undersigned Syrian victims’ associations and civil society organizations affirm that transitional justice constitutes a fundamental pillar of any serious path toward building sustainable peace and stability in Syria. It is impossible to envision a genuine political and social transition toward a state based on equal citizenship, rights and duties, and the rule of law without addressing …

Today marks the eighth anniversary of “Operation Olive Branch,” launched on January 20, 2018. The operation concluded on March 18, 2018, with Turkish-backed Syrian National Army factions taking control of the Syrian region of Afrin. This was accompanied by serious violations affecting civilians, their property, and their fundamental rights. The operation marked a tragic turning point in the lives of …

The Syrian organizations signing this statement call on the United Nations Security Council and its Member States to assume their responsibilities in protecting civilians and to exert pressure to prioritize dialogue The undersigned Syrian organizations express their deep concern over the escalating military operations in Northeast Syria/the Jazira region. They call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to violations …

Ensuring that the violations experienced in the area are incorporated into transitional justice programs that guarantee accountability, redress, compensation, and non-recurrence. Despite the major transformations Syria has undergone—including the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, the formation of the Transitional Government, and the return of nearly two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes and communities—tens …

On January 20, 2018, Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions of the Syrian National Army launched a military offensive on the Syrian region of Afrin under the name “Operation Olive Branch.” By March 18, 2018, the region was fully occupied. This operation forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands of indigenous residents, leaving behind an ongoing humanitarian tragedy. Over the past seven years, …

Coinciding with Christmas and New Year celebrations, as well as the war in Gaza, the areas of north and east Syria, inhabited by diverse ethnic and religious groups, are witnessing destructive Turkish military escalation. This escalation includes targeting vital infrastructure, oil and energy sources, and essential facilities necessary for the survival of the civilian population, including Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, and …

My name is “Kawa Omar” from Afrin; the Kurdish region in northern Syria and I speak on behalf of the “Lelun Association For Victims”. Here, from this platform, I would like to convey to you the suffering of our people in the Afrin region, which Turkey has occupied since March 2018. Afrin’s indigenous Kurdish population has suffered from widespread violations …

On June 29, 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 301/77, which established the “Independent Institution for Missing Persons” and was delegated the task of “to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons in the Syrian Arab Republic and to provide adequate support to victims, survivors and the families of those missing, in close cooperation and complementarity …

The undersigned Syrian organizations welcome the decision of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of 17 August 2023 to designate the two Syrian armed groups, the Suleiman Shah Brigade (known as al-Amshat) and the Hamza Division (known as al-Hamzat). The two groups are connected with serious human rights violations against the Kurdish community in the Afrin …