New York, May 22, 2025—The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) welcomes the formation of two new independent institutions in Syria: the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for the Missing. Established by presidential decree, these commissions represent a historic step forward in acknowledging the demands of victims and their families and formally responding to the widespread violations committed in Syria over the last decades.
“These two new institutions offer Syria an unprecedented opportunity to begin a national process of truth seeking, accountability, and healing,” said Fernando Travesí-Sanz, ICTJ’s executive director. “What happens next will determine whether these institutions can truly serve the needs of all victims and help lay the foundation for a future rooted in justice and dignity.”
The National Commission for Transitional Justice is tasked with investigating serious human rights abuses, holding those responsible to account, providing reparations to victims, and promoting national reconciliation. Meanwhile, the National Commission for the Missing is mandated with investigating the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared, documenting cases and establishing a national database of them, and providing legal and humanitarian support to affected families. Mr. Abdel Baset Abdel Latif will head the former, and Dr. Mohammad Ridha Jalkhi will lead the latter.
ICTJ commends the Syrian government for taking this major step. However, while the mandates of the two bodies are clear, the language defining their scope should reflect the full complexity of Syria’s conflict.
For instance, the commission for transitional justice attributes serious violations solely to the “previous regime,” which, while acknowledging one major source of harms endured by victims, risks excluding other harms caused by different actors. A more inclusive approach—one that affirms the right of all victims to truth and justice regardless of the perpetrator—is essential to foster national reconciliation and genuine accountability.
Similarly, the mandate of the commission for the missing focuses too narrowly on documentation. Families of the missing and forcibly disappeared need to know the circumstances surrounding the disappearances. They also require sustained psychosocial and legal support.
For the new commissions to succeed, ICTJ recommends they adopt the following priorities:
- Close collaboration with victims, civil society, and affected communities from the outset and throughout all phases.
- Clear coordination between the two bodies. Such coordination will ensure they operate in a complementary, non-duplicative manner, while maintaining institutional independence.
- Strong collaboration with relevant ministries, as well as with Syrian civil society actors and international institutions working on missing persons, documentation, and accountability.
- Inclusivity—in the interpretation of their mandates, in establishing participatory mechanisms, and in selecting staff and regional teams—that guarantees the representation of women, families of the missing, displaced communities, and civil society organizations.
- Transparency and broad public outreach and engagement, including open communication about mandates, processes, and progress.
- Recognition of the efforts made by Syrian families, civil society groups, and international actors who have spent years documenting violations, advocating for justice, and preparing for this very moment.
“We are encouraged by the early signs that those leading these new institutions are committed to consultative, transparent approaches,” said Nousha Kabawat, head of ICTJ’s Syria program. “We strongly encourage them to build on the decade-long work of victims and civil society organizations—many of whom have done the painstaking work of documentation, advocacy, and community engagement under incredibly difficult circumstances.”
Over the past year, ICTJ has worked closely with Syrian partners to lay the groundwork for a national justice and reconciliation process. This has included conducting community consultations in eight cities across Syria, advising on institutional design, and supporting victim-centered strategies to ensure any new process reflects the lived realities of those most affected.
ICTJ reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian people and to the pursuit of truth, justice, and sustainable peace and it stands ready to collaborate with both commissions and support the inclusive and credible implementation of their mandates. “The road ahead will be complex,” Travesí-Sanz added. “But if the Syrian authorities are willing to listen to victims and civil society, and prioritize truth, acknowledgment, and accountability, these new institutions can help rebuild trust and contribute to lasting peace.”
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PHOTO: Demonstrators gather in Idlib, Syria, on July 27, 2021, to demand truth and justice. (Ahmed Akacha/Pexels)
