Syria is at a critical juncture. The fall of the Assad government created a historic opportunity, but that opportunity will only lead to lasting positive change if accountability is built into the transition from the start. Meanwhile, ongoing grave rights abuses require continued attention.
Over the past year, Human Rights Watch has documented widespread identity-based killings by government forces, government-aligned armed groups, and armed volunteers during a centrally coordinated military operation in Syria's coastal region; summary killings, abductions, and mass displacement in Sweida; and arbitrary arrests, blocked aid, and the loss of basic services in the context of renewed fighting in northeast Syria. These are not isolated incidents, but reflect ongoing structural failures.
Domestic accountability efforts have begun, but remain limited in scope and lacking in transparency, particularly regarding command responsibility. Public trust in national institutions is still fragile. Acknowledging abuses is not the same as investigating and prosecuting officials responsible for them.
This is precisely why the Commission of Inquiry's independent investigations remain critical. Their work is not a substitute for Syrian-led processes - it complements them.
The Commission of Inquiry is the only mechanism that provides independent, public investigations of abuses by all actors across all regions, which is key to the credibility of its findings and recommendations. Its ongoing investigations have been pivotal to international justice efforts, while its monitoring and public reporting remains vital to steer Syria's transition toward upholding human rights broadly at a moment when institutional norms are still being set and comprehensive reforms are still needed to align Syria's laws with international standards. Its archives and recommendations will be indispensable to Syria's own transitional justice.
