A member of the White Helmets, a humanitarian volunteer organization, rescues a young citizen from rubble caused by an aerial bombardment — Image courtesy of the White Helmets
Introduction
On December 8, 2024, the brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad collapsed after a coalition of rebel fighters led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept through Syria in an eleven-day offensive. The victory followed nearly a decade and a half of conflict and mass atrocities.
Fourteen years ago this month, on March 15, 2011, Syrians filled the streets in pro-democracy demonstrations. The Syrian government responded with a brutal crackdown on protesters. By early 2012, the situation had descended into armed conflict and mass atrocities against civilians.
Assad’s departure and the collapse of his government represent a critical moment for Syria: Can Syrians’ demands of freedom, transparency, and the democratic reforms that protestors raised fourteen years ago finally be realized?
Syrian interim authorities, led by former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, face numerous challenges, including continued insecurity and violence, a severe economic crisis and crippling sanctions, and an ongoing humanitarian crisis. The country needs large-scale institutional reform, and many remain skeptical of the authorities’ commitment to inclusive governance and protection of minority groups.
These concerns were heightened in March when former regime insurgents ambushed interim government security forces, triggering a crackdown and targeted killing of civilians in Syria’s coastal region. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reports that at least 803 people were killed over four days, including 211 civilians killed by insurgents and 420 civilians, mostly Alawites, killed by armed forces affiliated with the interim government. In response, authorities formed an independent fact-finding committee to investigate crimes in the coastal region and refer cases to the courts. The interim government’s legitimacy will be impacted by its response to the committee's report.
Throughout the Assad regime, Syrian civil society worked, at great personal risk, to document the regime’s crimes and pursue accountability. Since December 2024, Syrian civil society has worked diligently to determine mechanisms and processes to shape a more inclusive and democratic Syria. They have made numerous contributions, particularly in areas of justice and accountability for mass atrocities, documenting the Assad government’s crimes, searching for missing Syrians, and advocating for an inclusive transition process. We spoke with civil society partners about these issues and will highlight some of their invaluable efforts in these areas and outline the demands of Syrians moving forward.
Justice and Accountability
Developing a transitional justice process that delivers for victims of mass atrocities will be a critical foundation for future peace and stability in Syria. Syrian civil society holds a wealth of expertise on potential pathways to justice and accountability. Many organizations have worked tirelessly to identify options for a Syrian-led accountability mechanism. Civil society organizations met in January and February 2025 to produce recommendations for Syrians and international partners regarding advancing transitional justice, accountability efforts, and building Syria’s future.
Syrians have high expectations and urgent demands for justice and accountability; however, processes that are inclusive and responsive to victims’ needs cannot be rushed. The interim government faces several competing priorities, including providing justice for crimes committed under the Assad regime, including the tenure of Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez al-Assad, and crimes committed by non-state actors such as the Islamic State. Any effective domestic justice and accountability mechanisms will require significant reform of Syria’s weakened justice system, including countering corruption, changing laws to enable the prosecution of international crimes, and training lawyers and judges. Questions of broader transitional justice – including reparations and memorialization – must also be addressed.
Recognizing that the interim government has limited capacity to design a justice process, civil society organizations are collaborating to produce a report, to be shared with the interim government, detailing several potential pathways for criminal justice and the costs and benefits of each option. Increasing the capacity of the justice system and developing an inclusive and responsive justice mechanism will require continued commitment and support from the interim government.
Documentation
Since December 2024, civil society organizations have used their expertise in collecting and preserving evidence to secure documentation and are in the early stages of mapping the location of mass graves. The lack of a coordinated response and limited government capacity have impacted this documentation effort. Immediately following December 8, 2024, critical evidence was lost when civilians entered prison sites, removing or damaging documents. Civil society successfully advocated for the interim government to secure main prison sites and ask for the return of documents. However, due to capacity constraints, some sites remain unsecured, risking continued loss of evidence.
Future case building and prosecution will depend on the proper collection and preservation of evidence. To support this work, Huquqyat, an organization of women lawyers and legal practitioners working on justice and accountability in Syria, has trained grassroots organizations on best practices for collecting, archiving, analyzing, and preserving documentation. The effort to build capacity and knowledge around documentation is vital for advancing justice and accountability processes.
Searching for Missing Syrians
During the conflict, more than 100,000 Syrians were disappeared by agents of the government. Today, families and loved ones continue to search for thousands of Syrians who remain missing. In February, the interim government announced a High Commission to address the issue of missing and forcibly disappeared persons.
The White Helmets, a volunteer organization that conducts search and rescue operations in response to attacks, medical and other evacuations, and essential service delivery, have helped to fill gaps in capacity for the interim government, recovering reported human remains throughout the country. In coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the interim government Forensic Commission, the White Helmets have begun documenting forensic and non-forensic evidence from the recovered remains of unidentified persons. They are securing and preserving this evidence to facilitate identifying victims and notifying family members.
As mass graves are identified, the Syrian Emergency Task Force is coordinating with the interim government and international organizations on a plan to exhume mass graves and perform DNA testing to identify victims. This work will provide information to searching loved ones and support future accountability efforts.
Inclusive Transition Process
Meaningful inclusion of women and minority groups is essential for the success of future transitional justice processes and for shaping the future of Syria. Many civil society organizations are advocating for the meaningful inclusion of minority groups and women in decision-making in this critical phase.
In February, the interim government hosted a National Dialogue with 900 participants for discussions around transitional justice, the constitution, reforming and rebuilding state institutions, personal liberties, the role of civil society, and economic principles. While an important step, the dialogue was criticized for lacking meaningful inclusion at the highest levels, and many found the resulting final statement unsatisfactory. On March 13, al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution that maintains some provisions from the previous constitution, including positioning Islamic law as the main source of legislation and requiring that the president be Muslim, while also guaranteeing freedom of press, freedom of expression, and women’s rights.
The organization Huquqyat is analyzing challenges to women’s participation and creating spaces for diverse women across the country to discuss transitional justice efforts and legal reforms that center women’s rights.
Looking Ahead
The future peace and stability of Syria will depend on the ability of the interim government and the international community to build a foundation of justice and inclusive governance in Syria, which can prevent future mass atrocities.
In the coming months, the interim government should prioritize facilitating an inclusive national dialogue to establish a roadmap for transitional justice processes that are responsive to the needs of all Syrians and begin to implement justice system reforms that enable the prosecution of past and future crimes, including mass atrocities. Simultaneously, interim authorities should emphasize engaging Syrian civil society and diverse groups of victims and survivors, rebuilding trust in the government.
The international community should empower Syrian civil society and legal experts to develop Syrian-led justice initiatives without imposing external models. They can support these efforts by providing financial, diplomatic, and technical support to Syrian civil society so that their essential work can continue and by supporting local experts to properly preserve and use critical evidence so that this information can stay in Syria.
Denise-Nicole Stone is the Policy Assistant for the Simon-Skjodt Center.