Syria’s fragile transition risks repeating past abuses unless independent international monitoring is maintained, a leading human rights expert has warned ahead of a key vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In an article published on Human Rights Watch website, Hiba Zayadin, Senior Researcher in the Middle East and North Africa Division, said the Council should fully renew the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, arguing that its continued work is essential to safeguarding accountability and reinforcing emerging institutional norms.
“Syria is at a pivotal moment,” Zayadin said. “Decisions taken now about oversight and accountability will shape the country’s human rights landscape and overall stability for generations.”
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Syrian authorities have signaled openness to continued engagement with the Human Rights Council but have not formally stated whether they support renewing the commission’s mandate. The Council is expected to debate the issue in the coming weeks.
Zayadin said the need for independent scrutiny remains urgent. Despite political changes, Syria’s transitional phase is still fragile, and public trust in state institutions remains low.
Domestic Investigations Fall Short
According to Zayadin, domestic investigations launched over the past year have lacked transparency, particularly regarding command responsibility. Meanwhile, serious abuses have continued across the country, including:
- identity-based killings during military operations in central and coastal regions
- summary killings and mass displacement in Suweida
- renewed fighting in the northeast
“These patterns show why independent oversight cannot be scaled back,” she said.
The Commission of Inquiry has played a central role in documenting violations, supporting truth-telling efforts, and recommending reforms to strengthen human rights protections. Its findings have contributed to criminal proceedings abroad and informed international courts.
Its archives, Zayadin noted, will be “a vital resource for transitional justice inside Syria itself.”
“At a time when institutional norms are still being set, the commission’s continued presence reinforces standards and helps deter further violations,” she added.
Lessons from Libya and Yemen
Zayadin pointed to Libya and Yemen as cautionary examples. In both countries, reductions in UN oversight left victims with fewer avenues for justice and allowed international attention to fade. In Yemen, once scrutiny weakened, it proved difficult to restore, and violations persisted.
Syrian civil society groups have issued a joint appeal urging the Human Rights Council to renew the commission’s mandate in full. Their statement underscores the belief that independent scrutiny remains essential to any credible transition.
For Syria’s new authorities and influential regional actors such as Qatar and Turkey, long-term stability is a shared objective. But Zayadin warned that stability built without trust is inherently fragile.
“Supporting a full renewal of the commission’s mandate would reassure all sectors of Syrian society that accountability will not be selective or superficial,” she said.
She added that independent oversight should be viewed not as an obstacle to Syria’s transition but as “a critical element for its success.”
“The Human Rights Council has a responsibility to sustain scrutiny and reporting through the Commission of Inquiry,” Zayadin said, “and to ensure its work continues until national institutions are capable of conducting independent investigations themselves.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
