Executive Summary Mapping Violations and Pathways to Redress in Syria

Introduction

The executive summary presents the latest focused analysis of the impact of arbitrary detention, torture, and enforced disappearance on victims and their families, and proposes practical steps for justice that place survivors at the center.

Main Text

The report documents systematic patterns of violations affecting men, women, and children, and the compounded harm they leave behind, extending to mental health, family stability, and the ability to earn a livelihood. It shows how lack of access to justice, fragmented legal channels, and uncertainty about the fate of the missing all intensify suffering and delay recovery.

The summary highlights the main gaps in the justice system: the difficulty of documenting crimes and preserving evidence in conflict conditions, weak accountability, contradictions between legal frameworks, and the shortage of specialized support services for victims and their families. In response, it presents a set of practical and applicable pathways, beginning with building solid case files through safe and systematic documentation, moving on to activating channels for criminal prosecution and civil and administrative proceedings, and extending to psychosocial support programs and legal assistance.

The report emphasizes a victim-centered approach that guarantees dignity, confidentiality, and informed consent, while linking individual justice to institutional reform that prevents recurrence. It also stresses the importance of involving civil society and victims’ families in shaping policies of truth, justice, and reparation.

Key Recommendations

• Establish effective mechanisms to uncover the fate of the missing and safeguard evidence and family archives.
• Expand psychosocial support services and specialized legal assistance for survivors and their families.
• Enable criminal and civil accountability pathways, ensuring victims’ procedural rights.
• Integrate compensation, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition into any future settlement or reform.

“The executive summary outlines a roadmap that connects robust documentation, survivor-centered redress, and policy reform — restoring rights and laying the foundation for meaningful justice.”

Download and Access

Arabic Version: 📖 Download Executive Summary (AR)

النسخة الإنجليزية: 📖 Download Executive Summary (EN)