The U.N. human rights office is set to send a small team of human rights officers to Syria next week for the first time in years following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, according to U.N. spokesperson ThameUN Human Rights Office to Dispatch Team to Syria for First Time in Yearsen Al-Kheetan during a press briefing on Friday.
In the wake of the takeover, rebels have opened prisons and government offices, raising fresh hopes for accountability regarding crimes committed during Syria’s more than 13-year civil war. Under Assad’s regime, the U.N. human rights team has been barred from entering Syria for years and has been monitoring human rights abuses remotely.
Al-Kheetan stated that the team would focus on supporting human rights issues and ensuring that any power transition is “inclusive and within the framework of international law.” He emphasized the importance of establishing a U.N. presence in the country.
Additionally, a U.N. investigative body is also planning to travel to Syria to gather evidence that could implicate high-ranking officials of the former government.
