Warning portends a catastrophe in the areas occupied by Turkey

Lawyer and human rights defender Shaheen Lali warned of the seriousness of what is happening in the Syrian regions occupied by Turkey, noting that the situation there warns of a catastrophe. As a result of paving the way for the emergence of a generation experienced in crime, in light of the repetition of crimes that violate the principles of human rights proclaimed in 1948, as well as the Charter of the United Nations and the Geneva Conventions with their three protocols.

9 August, 2023 04:22

QAMISHLO, MOHAMMED ABDO

Human rights activist Shaheen Lali explained that Turkey worked on its so-called "safe zone" project under the pretext of protecting Turkish national security, but it became clear that all these pretexts were false after the occupation of many cities such as Afrin, Serêkaniyê/ Tal Abyed and Girê Spî/ Ras al-Ain, and the first crimes were committed, which are aggression and occupation that are punishable by international law.

Since 2016, Turkey has occupied several regions of Syria (Jarabulus, al-Bab, Azaz, Afrin, Idlib, Serêkaniyê, and Tal Abyad), after committing dozens of massacres against its indigenous population, on whom the Turkish language and currency were imposed. These areas also witness daily clashes between their mercenaries, in addition to kidnappings, looting, and rape committed against their residents, and settling strangers there.

Shaheen Lali stressed that the silence of the international forces on Turkey's occupation of the Syrian regions encouraged it to move forward with committing other war crimes such as demographic change, forced displacement, looting, appropriation of public and private property, and smuggling of antiquities.

The Turkish occupation has bypassed the Geneva and its sister protocols

Lali said, "Turkey, through mercenary terrorist groups, is still practicing the most heinous crimes, so that the rate of crimes in those areas, compared to other regions, is the highest.

Shaheen believed that crimes are being committed against the indigenous people who remained in their cities, with the aim of displacing them and housing mercenary families instead of them, within the framework of its policy of demographic change.

Shaheen also considered that all of this portends a catastrophe. As a result of preparing for the emergence of an experienced generation of crime by repeating crimes that violate the principles of human rights proclaimed in 1948, as well as the Charter of the United Nations and the Geneva Conventions with their three protocols, which oblige the powers to protect civilians in wars and crises.

legal way

Shaheen considered that the legal way to reduce these crimes committed against the indigenous people in the occupied territories is to work on preparing transparent reports and submitting them to human rights organizations, away from the reports that the Turkish lobby is preparing to influence global public opinion and beautify the image of the Turkish occupation.

Shaheen also believes that such a step can open the way for pressure on Turkey and pave the way for the perpetrators of the crimes, including officials and heads of its mercenary groups, to comply before the European Court of Human Rights and the International Criminal Court, to punish them in accordance with international law, in both its general and humanitarian aspects.

Activities both internally and externally

As for the reason for the continued silence of the concerned parties, Shaheen said: "Those organizations, through the intersection of interests between them and Turkey, did not lift a finger and do not carry out their duty towards civilians in the occupied areas, and limit the violations carried out by Turkey, especially the issue of indiscriminate bombing using drones. The matter is Which raises concern about the continued silence of international and human rights organizations, with the exception of a number of rigid reports without applying the laws.

He pointed out that the internally organized activities and events that are based on condemning such practices by the Turkish occupation state must continue, and abroad, human rights activists from the region and those living in European countries must work to raise these issues, in addition to working and coordinating with the concerned parties to make the voice of these civilians heard. The decision-making authorities, such as the United Nations, form a criminal court in order to accept these files and start holding the perpetrators accountable.

It is noteworthy that the occupied Syrian regions in northern Syria have been witnessing violent clashes between mercenary groups affiliated with the Turkish occupation army for days, amid the continuation of various crimes against the indigenous people of these regions.

T/ Satt.

ANHA