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The syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has called on syria’s transitional authorities to exclude war criminals and individuals implicated in severe human rights violations from state institutions. The organisation stressed that this is not a political or retaliatory act, but a legal and moral imperative aimed at preventing further crimes and restoring public trust in Syrian governance. The appeal was detailed in a comprehensive report entitled The Legal and Moral Necessity of Excluding Criminals from State Institutions in Syria’s Transitional Phase, which frames institutional reform as a fundamental pillar of transitional justice. It comes amid significant political developments following the collapse of the previous regime and the establishment of a transitional administration in December 2024. Notably, the Principle of Non-Recurrence The report argues that transitional justice cannot be realised within institutions still populated by those responsible for perpetuating authoritarianism.
It cautions that rebuilding the state without thoroughly cleansing its structures risks a fragile transition susceptible to collapse. Excluding those involved in past abuses, the report emphasises, is not about retribution. Rather, it is an application of the internationally recognised principle of “guaranteeing non-recurrence”, which seeks to safeguard society against future violations. The report warns that tolerating perpetrators in positions of authority undermines the political transition and erodes public confidence in the emerging leadership. It identifies impunity as a driving force behind decades of repression in Syria.
More Than 16,000 Implicated as per the report, the Assad regime turned state institutions—from the judiciary to the media and armed troops—into instruments of oppression and disinformation, rather than public service. The widespread violations in Syria were not isolated incidents, but the result of what the SNHR describes as “systematic institutional collusion” across security, armed forces, judicial and administrative leadership. The network’s records show that since March 2011, at least 202,021 civilians have been killed, 160,123 have been subjected to arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance, and 45,031 have died under torture. The regime is also declared to have carried out 217 chemical weapons attacks, 254 cluster munition assaults, and dropped 81,954 barrel bombs—actions that have relocated more than 13. 8 million syrians both internally and abroad.
Additionally, the SNHR has identified over 16,200 individuals—including armed forces and security authorities, judges, media figures and business leaders—who supported the regime’s repressive machinery either directly or indirectly through political, economic or media channels. Institutional Cleansing as a Cornerstone of Justice The report outlines the legal foundations for excluding implicated individuals, asserting…