Lawyers Union and Human Rights calls for sending independent international investigation commission to occupied areas

Today, the Human Rights Organization in Jazera region and the Lawyers Union of NESyria made a joint statement to the public opinion, condemning the massacre committed by the mercenaries of "Ahrar al-Sharqiya" against 4 citizens of the same family in Janders and the injury of others, for lighting the Newroz flame on March 20.

The statement reads:

"Since March 2018, occupied Afrin has witnessed systematic crimes in the field of human rights and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, including killing, arbitrary arrest, kidnapping, torture, appropriation of citizens' property, displacement of indigenous people and demographic change in the region."

The statement referred to "the crime that took place on March 20, 2023 in the city of Janders, in which 4 unarmed civilians were martyred and others were injured as a result of being directly targeted with live bullets, by members of "Ahrar al-Sharqiya" affiliated with the Turkish-backed "Syrian National Army", due to their celebration of Newroz and lighting a fire in front of their house."

The statement of the Human Rights Organization in Jazera region and the Lawyers Union called on the "United Nations to take all necessary measures to protect the civilian in Afrin and pressure Turkey to end the occupation, and assume its legal responsibilities as an occupying power; to ensure public security and hold the perpetrators of this crime and all the systematic crimes that have occurred since the occupation of Afrin accountable."

Also called for "sending an independent international commission of inquiry to the areas occupied by Turkey and its affiliated groups, and to intervene in order to stop the violations taking place, hold the perpetrators and their supporters accountable, and provide support for the demands of the indigenous people."

Sh-S

ANHA