Will Erdogan and his group be arraigned before ICC? …. Diaa Iskandar

There are many crimes committed by the fascist Turkish regime against the people of Syria in general, and NE, Syria in particular during the last decade, and most of the crimes it has committed against the Syrian people since the beginning of the crisis in 2011 until now are described as war crimes against humanity.
Throughout its history, the Syrian crisis has witnessed the Turkish state being directly involved in the ongoing conflict in the country. It has supported militants in Syria, by facilitating the flow of fighters, extremist Islamic groups, weapons and equipment across the border, and providing them with material and military support. These groups have committed human rights violations and war crimes against civilians in the areas they control.
The Turkish state’s record of violating international treaties, laws, customs, and conventions is long and clearly visible at many points. Especially its use of chemical weapons in its conflict with the forces opposing it in the Qandil Mountains and other areas where resistance forces are present. Despite the fact that the People Defense Forces published video clips and pictures proving their use of phosphorus bombs, thermal bombs, tactical nuclear bombs, and chemical weapons, and despite repeated calls by the Kurdistan Communities Union KCK, the HPG, and many Kurdish parties to the concerned parties to prohibit the use of internationally banned weapons to visit the areas, targeted to hold the Turkish state accountable, the world and those concerned parties remain silent about it.
The most important crimes committed by the Turkish state in Syria
In recent years, the Turkish state has occupied large areas of northern Syria (8,835 km²), and includes more than 1,000 towns, including cities such as Afrin, Girê Spi/Tal Abyad, Serêkaniyê/Ras al-Ain, al-Bab, Azaz, Dabiq, Jarabulus, and Jenderes, Rajo and Sheikh Al-Hadid. Through a series of aggressive attacks, it dismantled and stole hundreds of factories from the city of Aleppo and transported them to the Turkish interior, and committed brutal massacres against the population in the areas occupied.It left thousands of victims dead, injured, missing, and destroyed many service and vital infrastructure facilities several times, causing an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy for more than 5 million people in NE, Syria. It carried out and continues to carry out a large-scale demographic change in the areas it occupied, using the same methods of old colonialism in its ugliest forms. From the policy of systematic Turkification and forcing citizens to use the Turkish lira in commercial dealings, raising the Turkish flag on buildings and institutions, adopting the Turkish educational curriculum in schools, changing the names of cities, towns and villages, stealing antiquities, cutting down trees, supporting the most severe terrorist organizations (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and other factions), and carrying out barbarism practices.
What crimes fall under the description of crimes against humanity?
Crimes against humanity that target individuals and population groups with serious crimes that are contrary to international humanitarian law are considered criminal charges in international law. These crimes include acts and deeds that subject individuals to murder, torture, rape, slavery, genocide, mass persecution, forced displacement and disappearance, and other barbaric acts.
These crimes are a grave violation of international law, and are part of the legal jurisdiction of international courts such as the International Criminal Court. According to Article 7 of its Charter, all the aforementioned crimes were committed by the Turkish state, which are considered crimes against humanity.
Can individuals and humanitarian organizations file claims before international courts?
Individuals have the right to submit complaints or information to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which evaluates this information, initiates investigations and initiates proceedings accordingly.
It also has the right to international human rights committees that deal with individual complaints related to human rights violations. Individuals can submit complaints to these committees and file legal claims before them, along with information and evidence that supports the allegations made. From photos, documents, videos, witnesses, medical reports, etc.
Despite some criticism that the ICC faces, it selects the cases it deals with according to political or retaliatory agendas, does not deal equally with all criminal crimes around the world, and is accused of investigating most cases in Africa while ignoring cases in other regions. In addition to her inability to implement judgements; Since some Member States may refuse to extradite accused persons or obstruct investigations, which affects the Court’s ability to fully achieve justice, this does not necessarily mean that the Court is unable to carry out its work properly, but it indicates the challenges and areas for improvement that can be faced in The context of the court's work.
Can we live the scene of seeing Erdogan and his gang behind bars at the International Criminal Court?
The Turkish state's persistence in its clear and brazen violation of international laws has become clear and known to everyone with insight. This arrogance and arrogance in its recklessness and belittlement must be put to an end. Hence, filing an arsenal of lawsuits by the affected parties against the officials of the fascist Turkish regime for what their sinful hands committed against the Syrians is an urgent humanitarian necessity for them to receive their just punishment, and to obtain compensation for the material and moral damage they caused, and to be an example to others and similar tyrants. Even if their trial procedures took a long time.
Crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression are not subject to the statute of limitations, no matter how long it takes. This means that, regardless of the passage of time, the accused can be pursued and tried for these crimes, especially since those accused of committing crimes against humanity do not enjoy diplomatic immunity regardless of their capacity, and the changing and accelerating international circumstances indicate that the outcome of the balance of power is not in favor of the people’s opponents. And the forces of liberation in the world.
Will we see the drawers of the International Criminal Court being crowded with cases related to the crimes of the Turkish regime, represented by symbols of its rule, most notably the dictator Recep Tayyip Erdogan?
Diaa Iskandar: Syrian opponent, writer and journalist