The Chemical Violations Documentation Centre of Syria – CVDCS has documented the use of chemical weapons for hostile purposes at more than 262 locations between 2012 and 2019.
Through international investigations commissioned by the United Nations Security Council, investigators have repeatedly pointed to the responsibility of both ISIS and the Syrian Air Force units under the Syrian regime.
According to a report, the responsibility of the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, was noted concerning the chain of command for the orders and execution of the use of prohibited weapons against Syrians.
“Manipulation of the Damascus Declaration”
It is important to note the manipulation of the Damascus Declaration regarding its chemical weapons program and stockpiles, which became exposed to the member states after the appearance of sarin gas in Khan Sheikhoun and Al-Lataminah incidents in 2017.
This strengthened the convictions of some member states of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which had an important role in forming and supporting accountability mechanisms, through the formation of specialized investigation teams and the adoption of their reports to support legal references.
“Legal Accountability”
In parallel with the investigations, the United Nations General Assembly worked to establish the Independent International mechanism to assist in investigating those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed Syria and prosecuting them since March 2011.
The International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), based in Geneva, is a justice-supporting entity working for accountability regarding core international crimes, particularly war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, committed in Syria since March 2011.
The mechanism gathers, preserves, and analyzes information and evidence, then shares it, either upon request or proactively, with relevant judicial authorities to support physical and analytical evidence related to ongoing investigations.
Basically, it does not have prosecutorial powers but assists judicial authorities which lead investigations and prosecutions against those suspected of committing crimes in Syria.
Despite the wide amount of available evidence, the challenge of prosecution remains complex for the victims’ families in Syria, due to the obstruction of a decision to refer the Syrian case to the International Criminal Court at the UN Security Council, and the lack of a specialized judicial body to ensure the prosecution of those involved in crimes.
In this context, some national courts with jurisdiction to prosecute such crimes are working within the limits of their jurisdiction, focusing on witness testimony programs.
“Conclusions”
The chemical weapons crimes in Syria are still under investigation and monitoring, and it is crucial to emphasize that international law stipulates that the use of chemical weapons is a war crime and a crime against humanity, and those responsible must be held accountable, no matter who they are, and these crimes cannot be subject to statutes of limitations.
Justice for the Victims of Chemical Weapons in Syria
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