The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria on Monday called for the suspension of international sanctions to ensure aid reaches more than 17 million Syrians in urgent need. The panel argued that sanctions disproportionately harm the nation’s poor and vulnerable, complicating recovery efforts in the war-torn country.
Commission Chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro said sanctions, imposed by major economic powers like the US and EU to pressure the Assad regime over war crimes and chemical weapon use since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, now hinder relief efforts. Pinheiro urged all parties, including Syria’s transitional government in Damascus, to uphold international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and safeguard evidence for future war crimes trials.
The commission also underscored the importance of preserving mass grave sites and detention records to ensure accountability for past atrocities.
“Syrians deserve justice after nearly 14 years of brutal war, where almost every crime listed in the Rome Statute has been committed,” Commissioner Hanny Megally said. He added that achieving “full justice” will require more than trials alone and must include “demands for truth, reparations, and legal and institutional reforms.”
At the same time, escalating violence in northern Syria has displaced more than a million people since late November. Airstrikes by Israel, the US, and Turkey have reportedly intensified the humanitarian crisis. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attacks as violations of Syria’s sovereignty.
