UN investigators say serious rights violations continue across Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Independent investigators monitoring the human rights situation in Syria said on Friday that serious violations continue across the country despite what they described as the Syrian government’s stated willingness to pursue reforms.
Experts reporting to the United Nations Human Rights Council said abuses including extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances and abductions have persisted more than a year after the fall of the government of Bashar al‑Assad.
According to the investigators, large-scale violence was recorded in several regions during the past year. In March 2025, government forces and allied militias reportedly killed more than 1,400 people—most of them Alawite civilians—in the governorates of Latakia, Tartus, Homs and Hama.
Four months later, in mid-July, more than 1,500 people, mainly Druze and Bedouin civilians, were reportedly killed in the southern governorate of Suwayda in violence involving government forces, armed groups and tribal fighters.
“Syrian survivors and affected communities deserve justice, compensation and guarantees of non‑recurrence,” said Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, member of the panel of rights experts reporting independently to the council.
Despite the continued violations, the investigators noted some positive developments related to the country’s political transition.
The panel welcomed efforts by Syrian authorities toward what it described as a “broad transition” to inclusive governance, rule of law and accountability, including the establishment of two new national justice bodies.
Monia Ammar, member of the commission, said the experts were encouraged by the Syrian government’s willingness to engage with international human rights mechanisms and praised Syrians working to rebuild state institutions.
Commission Chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro stressed that sustained international support remains necessary to ensure a transition toward a political environment that guarantees human rights for all Syrians.