Report Release: Opportunities and Impediments to Civil Society – Criminal Tribunal Engagement

Over the past two years, Syrian civil society organizations (CSOs), including SJAC, have been working with the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to build a framework for collaboration. While there are many benefits of CSO collaboration with international criminal justice mechanisms (ICJMs), historically, close cooperation has been relatively rare. As a result, little information […]

De Mistura’s Mistakes: What the New UN Special Envoy Should Learn from the Past Four Years

On November 1st, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen to the position of UN Special Envoy for Syria. As the international community prepares for Staffan de Mistura’s departure from the position at the end of November, SJAC highlights six major issues which arose during de Mistura’s tenure and makes […]

Crimes Without Honor: Seeking Justice for Victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence

In late August, a video appeared on social media in which a woman from Afrin accuses the leader of a local militia of rape. The woman, Isra Yousef Khalil, openly identifies herself and details her experience of several assaults, adding that other women have suffered similar crimes at the hands of the accused, Mohammad Jasim, […]

The World Must Not Ignore ISIS’s Crimes Against the Druze

On July 25, ISIS attacked the Druze region of Sweida in southwestern Syria, leading to the deaths of over 200 people and the kidnapping of 30 civilians. While the initial attack was covered widely in both Syrian and international media, the fate of those kidnapped, the majority of whom are women and children, has largely […]

What the Disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi Means for Syria

It has been more than two weeks since the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and prominent critic of the Saudi government and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in particular. His disappearance sparked discussions in the media comparing the brutality of various governments throughout the Middle East. For example, some Lebanese journalists from state-run […]

Of Fathers and Sons: Incorporating Children into Transitional Justice

Syrian Director Talal Derki’s most recent film, Of Fathers and Sons, provides an intimate portrait of a Syrian family in Idlib, following their daily life amidst conflict. The father, Abu Osama, a member of the Al Qaeda affiliated Jabhat Al Nusra, is depicted in the film raising his sons to embrace the group’s radical ideology. […]

Report Release: Options for Post-Conflict Property Restitution in Syria

Over the last seven years the destruction, abandonment, and theft of property have become defining aspects of the conflict in Syria. Six months ago, property rights became a central issue when Syria drew strong rebuke from the international community and Syrians after issuing Law No. 10, which broadens the government’s ability to expropriate property in […]

The Dangers and Difficulties of Counting Victims in Syria

The plight of thousands of detained Syrians has come to public attention in recent months, as the government has begun to update civil registries with previously unreported deaths in custody. Many of the news reports covering this issue include the number of those who are currently believed to be held in government-run detention facilities. Such […]

#EyesOnIdlib: Prioritizing Syria at the UN General Assembly

Next week, heads of state and foreign ministers will gather at the United Nations in New York for the annual high-level week during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. In the backdrop of the meetings will be the impending humanitarian crisis in Idlib. The 3 million residents of Idlib remain threatened by the […]

“De Mistura: Your Silence was Better.”

Despite warnings from the international community, the Syrian government and Russian allies appear to be following through on threats to retake control of Idlib. On Tuesday, Syrian and Russian planes conducted airstrikes near Jisr al-Shughour on the outskirts of rebel-held territory, killing twelve civilians. The situation in Idlib remains dire. Population transfers have resulted in […]