Politicians: by undermining Transitional Justice only in regime crimes will increase committing crimes

On May 18, the Damascus authorities announced the formation of the Transitional Justice Commission, but limited its work to crimes committed by the former Ba'ath regime. This constitutes a disregard for the crimes committed by the Turkish occupation and ISIS mercenaries, supports their continuation, and perpetuates the threat of civil war.

Various segments of society rejected the idea that this commission's work be limited to the crimes of the Ba'ath regime alone, while marginalizing the rights of those harmed by the crimes committed by the Turkish occupation and ISIS mercenaries, who committed violations against the Syrian people in general.

Yasser al-Kurdi, the administrator of the Future Syria Party's Organization Office in the Tabqa Council, confirmed to ANHA's agency that the party emphasizes the need for the transitional justice commission to be comprehensive of all crimes committed against the Syrian people, and for every criminal who committed criminal acts against any Syrian component to be held accountable. These criminals should fall under the authority of transitional justice.

According to the decree establishing the Transitional Justice Commission, the commission aims to "reveal the truth about the grave violations committed under the former regime, hold those responsible accountable in coordination with the relevant authorities, and seek to compensate victims and redress the damage, while adopting the principles of non-impunity and community reconciliation."

Al-Kurdi questioned the rights of the people of Afrin, al-Shahba, Tal Abyad, and Ras al-Ain, after the Turkish occupation's mercenaries committed numerous crimes against them, while the Transitional Justice Commission limits its work to crimes committed by the former regime.

Al-Kurdi believed that the Syrian people, in all their components, and the international community must put pressure the transitional justice commission to be restructured so that it includes all those who committed crimes against the Syrian people without exception. Failure to implement transitional justice will quickly lead the country to continued vengeance, crimes, and civil war.

Al-Kurdi emphasized the need for the transitional justice commission to be neutral and impartial, and to be linked to international support to help bring perpetrators of crimes who have fled the country back home. He emphasized the need for the commission to be independent so that it can hold all criminals accountable, regardless of their affiliation or status, so that they receive their just punishment and citizens can obtain their rights from those who wronged them.

For her part, Barin Ma'amo, co-chair of the Future Syria Party in Tabqa Canton, highlighted the sensitivity of the Syrian situation and the optimism Syrians feel about their country's future, as accountability and justice are among its solid foundations.

She believed that the formation of the Transitional Justice Commission was limited to accountability for the crimes of the former regime, while marginalizing the massacres committed by Turkish occupation mercenaries in occupied areas, such as Afrin, Ras al-Ain, Tal Abyad, and others.

The co-chair of the Future Syria Party in Tabqa Canton emphasized that the Future Syria Party has always emphasized that transitional justice must encompass Syria as a whole, as without it, there will be no new Syria and it will not be built on real foundations. Therefore, the Transitional Justice Commission must include all crimes committed in Syria, both past and ongoing.

For his part, Khaled al-Askar, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party office in Tabqa Canton, considered the formation of the Transitional Justice Commission an important step toward stabilizing Syria and building a homeland that unites Syrians from all walks of life, without discrimination.

Al-Askar believes that limiting the transitional justice commission to perpetrators of crimes from the Ba'ath regime only distorts justice and will not lead to stability and peace in the country. Furthermore, the continued presence of war criminals, mercenaries of the Turkish occupation, and their failure to hold them accountable opens the door to the continuation of crimes and keeps the country at risk of civil war.

In concluding his remarks, Al-Askar emphasized the need for transitional justice to be comprehensive and under UN auspices, so that it can build a solid foundation for Syria's future and prosperity.

This announcement ignores the crimes committed against Syrians throughout the Syrian crisis, including those committed by ISIS, others committed by the Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries, and those committed in recent months on the Syrian coast. The most recent of these crimes was mentioned in a report by Amnesty International and a report by Human Rights Watch.

T/S
ANHA