Speaking from Damascus after a meeting with the leader of the transitional authorities, Ahmad al-Sharaa, Turk said he was “convinced of the importance of respecting human rights for all Syrians and all components of Syrian society.”
Syria’s de facto leader, who spearheaded the lightning overthrow of Bashar al-Assad on December 8 at the head of opposition fighters Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has called for a “healing, He also emphasized “building trust, pursuing social cohesion, and reforming institutions.” ” said the High Commissioner.
incredible needs
“But the challenges are immense,” he continued, pointing to the fact that “hundreds of thousands of lives” have been lost and large parts of the country are in ruins.
Currently, nine out of 10 Syrians are “in poverty, the health system is collapsed and many schools are closed,” Turk said. “Millions of people remain displaced at home and abroad. The rights to food, health, education and housing are fundamental human rights that require swift, collective and concerted efforts to guarantee. It is necessary.”
The UN human rights chief called for an “urgent reconsideration” of sanctions against Syria “with a view to lifting them”, saying it was important to consider the impact on the lives of Syrians.
Terror of Sednaya
Mr Turk, who was visiting Syria for the first time as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he had heard harrowing testimonies from numerous torture victims.
Among them were prisoners at the notorious Sednaya prison on the outskirts of Damascus, where violations had been recorded for “years”.
The UN human rights chief said the prisoners told him: He was executed. ”
The High Commissioner described thousands of people dying in prisons across Syria, while continuing to decry the “apocalyptic wasteland” of the bombed-out residential area of Jobar in Damascus, which he visited.
mass murder, destruction
“There were wave after wave of attacks in this area, and not a single building was spared,” Turk said. “It is inconceivable that such mass murder and destruction could have occurred.” added.
It is equally hard to believe that “prohibited chemical weapons have been used against civilians not just once, but elsewhere in the country,” the UN human rights chief said, adding that this was in the northeastern region of Douma. He said he was likely referring to several deadly chlorine gas attacks, including one on two residential buildings. April 7, 2018, Damascus by Syrian Air Force.
The document “speaks volumes about the extreme brutality of the tactics used by the previous regime,” whose actions “constitute some of the most serious crimes under international humanitarian law.”
‘Real threat’ to Syria still exists
The High Commissioner stressed that apart from the destruction and grief of the impending war, the Syrian people “need all the help we can get to rebuild a country that works for all Syrians.”
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, which has had a dedicated Syria monitoring team since 2013, “continues to support an inclusive and state-led process,” Turk said.
He warned of “very real threats” to Syria’s territorial integrity and independence. The country’s sovereignty “must be fully respected and rigorously defended. The ongoing conflict and hostilities must end,” the High Commissioner stressed, adding, “After decades of repression, This is a defining moment for Syria.
“My deepest wish is that all Syrians, regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity, will be able to prosper together and build a common future.”
