Human Rights Committee Reviews Syria’s Compliance with Civil and Political Rights Covenant

The Human Rights Committee concluded its consideration of Syria’s fourth periodic report on implementing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Committee Experts welcomed Syria’s cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency but raised concerns about the treatment of Kurdish communities and the numerous cases of enforced disappearances.

A Committee Expert noted positive cooperation between Syria and the UN Refugee Agency, while another Expert highlighted reports of violence, detentions, forced marriages, and sexual violence against Kurdish and Yazidi communities. They inquired about measures to ensure equal treatment and integration of these groups. Another Expert reported that up to 120,000 individuals had disappeared since the conflict began, with 85% of cases attributed to government forces. Questions were raised about criminalizing enforced disappearances and collaborating with independent mechanisms to address this issue.

The Syrian delegation responded by accusing Kurdish militias, supported by the United States, of exploiting the conflict to control resources and impose their educational programs, negatively impacting the Arab-majority population. They stated that Syrian law equated enforced disappearances with deprivation of liberty, with severe penalties for abduction and unlawful detention, including life imprisonment or execution for severe cases.

In his remarks, Haydar Ali Ahmad, head of the Syrian delegation, condemned foreign attempts to destabilize Syria and emphasized the nation’s commitment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights despite ongoing challenges. He urged the Committee to disregard politically motivated reports and called for an end to unilateral coercive measures. Committee Chairperson Tania María Abdo Rocholl thanked the participants, reaffirming the Committee’s dedication to upholding civil and political rights in Syria.