EuroMed Rights expresses concern over Presidential Decree No. 20, issued on 17 May 2025 by Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, establishing the National Commission for Transitional Justice. While the creation of this commission is presented as a significant step towards justice and national reconciliation after years of devastating conflict, the selective nature of its mandate severely compromises its effectiveness and legitimacy.
Under Decree No. 20, the commission is mandated exclusively to investigate human rights violations committed by the former Assad regime. This limited approach excludes grave abuses perpetrated by other parties involved in the Syrian conflict, such as ISIS, al-Nusra, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and various opposition factions. Transitional justice must be impartial and inclusive; failure to investigate all sides undermines the pursuit of truth and accountability.
Recent violent incidents, including mass killings in Syria’s coastal provinces (Tartous, Latakia, and Hama) and sectarian clashes in Jaramana and Sahnaya, underscore the urgent need for an inclusive and rights-based transitional justice approach. These events, which left over a thousand civilians dead and heightened community tensions, expose the dangers of addressing only part of Syria’s complex legacy of violence. Justice for some cannot come at the expense of justice for others.
Prominent Syrian human rights organisations have critisised the formation of the commission by presidential decree, citing the absence of public debate and the lack of meaningful engagement with civil society and victims’ groups. They caution that an exclusive focus on regime-era violations, without addressing violations and abuses committed by all conflict parties, risks undermining both the legitimacy and effectiveness of Syria’s transitional justice efforts.
As Syria’s future is discussed at international forums, included on May 20, the EU Foreign Affairs Council, EuroMed Rights calls on all international actors, especially EU Member States, to ensure that engagement with Syria’s transitional justice mechanisms is grounded in justice, transparency, and respect for the rights of all victims. This includes supporting inclusive and credible processes, safeguarding civil society space, and rejecting any mechanism falling short of international human rights standards.
Key elements for legitimacy include expanding the commission’s mandate to cover violations by all parties, appointing leadership through a transparent and inclusive process based on integrity and expertise, ensuring meaningful participation of victims and civil society, and aligning fully with international standards, including cooperation with the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM).