Belgian court holds hearing on Turkish violations in NE Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A court in the Belgian capital, Brussels, convened on Wednesday to review evidence and hear witness testimonies regarding human rights violations committed by Turkey in northern and eastern Syria.
The hearing was organized by the “Permanent Peoples Tribunal on Rojava vs. Turkey” with participation from the Department of Foreign Relations and the Committee of Justice and Law of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
Other participants included the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights, the Kurdistan National Congress, the European Center for Women’s Rights Research and Protection, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, and the Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies, alongside several prominent human rights organizations.
Jwan Soz, a journalist invited to participate in the tribunal, told North Press that the court proceedings would span two days.
He emphasized that the primary objective of the tribunal is to shed light on human rights violations committed by Turkey in Syria, particularly in areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
According to Soz, the tribunal includes prominent lawyers and human rights activists acting as judges and prosecutors.
“Nine witnesses, including lawyers, journalists, and politicians from Rojava and beyond, are set to testify on crimes against humanity attributed to the Turkish state,” Soz added.
“Although the tribunal’s rulings are symbolic and non-binding,” Soz highlighted. “The evidence presented—such as photographs, videos, and official documents—could be used in national and international courts to hold Turkey accountable.”
He also pointed out that similar tribunals have been utilized in the past, citing Palestinian efforts to document Israeli military violations through people’s courts.