• Letter to Kuwait Foreign Minister on Supporting Syria Accountability Initiative

    We write to request that your government support an initiative led by Switzerland calling on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The letter, delivered by Switzerland on January 14, 2013, points to a record of severe human rights violations in Syria with no prospect of justice at the local level, and appeals to the Security Council to therefore take up the issue of accountability. It is time Kuwait joins the over 50 nations, including Tunisia and Libya, that have supported this call and signal to all sides in Syria that the days of absolute impunity for these severe human rights violations are at an end. 

    Feb 19, 2013
  • Joint letter to protest the use of cluster bombs in Syria
    We, the citizens of Japan, deeply regret that a large number of Syrian citizens have been victimized in the recent conflict that has been escalating since March 2011. We hope the conflict to end promptly without further sacrifice in our friendly nation of Syria.
    Feb 1, 2013
  • Letter to Egyptian Foreign Minister on Syria and the ICC

    We write to request that your government support an initiative led by Switzerland calling on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The letter, set to be delivered by Switzerland on January 14, 2013, points to a record of severe human rights violations in Syria with no prospect of justice at the local level, and appeals to the Security Council to therefore take up the issue of accountability. It is time Egypt join the over 50 nations, including Tunisia and Libya, that have supported this call and signal to all sides in Syria that the days of absolute impunity for these severe human rights violations are at an end.

    Jan 13, 2013
  • Syrians cannot afford to wait!
    Given the Syrian government’s failure to meet its commitments under Kofi Annan’s plan, we call on the LAS to carry out and monitor the implementation of the targeted sanctions against the Syrian leadership it agreed to in November 2011 but has yet to outline in any detail.
    May 31, 2012
  • Letter to Rosoboronexport on Syrian Weapons Supplies

    On April 6, 2012, Human Rights Watch wrote to the Russian arms supplier Rosoboronexport to urge the company to halt all weapons deliveries to the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. In view of the overwhelming evidence that the Syrian army is committing crimes against humanity, Rosoboronexport’s arms dealings with the Syrian government place the company at a high risk of complicity in such crimes in violation of international law. 

    Apr 6, 2012
  • Open Letter to the Leaders of the Syrian Opposition

    We are writing to express our concern about increasing evidence, as described below, of kidnappings, the use of torture, and executions by armed Syrian opposition members and strongly urge you to work to ensure that all opposition members refrain from engaging in these unlawful practices.   

    Mar 20, 2012
  • Letter to Arab League on Syrian Refugees
    Human Rights Watch welcomes the Council of the League of Arab States’ February 12 call on Syria to end all forms of violence against Syrian civilians and to grant access to Arab and international relief organizations to bring humanitarian assistance to affected populations, and respectfully urges the ministers of the LAS Council to adopt a further resolution that calls upon all member states to provide at least temporary asylum to Syrian civilians fleeing conflict and persecution.
    Mar 15, 2012
  • Appeal to the “Friends of Syria” Conference
    We the undersigned, representing 144 international and Arab NGOs from over 20 countries, call on the “Friends of Syria” conference, to be held on February 24thin Tunis, to seek an international strategy to end the human rights violations in Syria. As fears of civil war grow, the “Friends of Syria” should exercise pressure on all groups responsible for the unlawful use of force against civilians to cease such acts of violence immediately. All groups should respect human rights and guard against sectarian violence.
    Feb 23, 2012
  • Letter to the Arab League Secretary-General Regarding the Monitoring Mission in Syria
    Human Rights Watch has been monitoring the ongoing human rights violations in Syria since the beginning of antigovernment protests in mid-March. In an effort to assist your assessment of the mission, we are setting out our documentation of recent violations as well as our concerns regarding the work of the monitoring mission.
    Jan 20, 2012
  • Joint Letter to League of Arab States on Ensuring the Effectiveness of Targeted Sanctions on Syria

    In a joint letter, 120 Arab and international NGOs from 22 countries including 18 Arab countries, urged the League of Arab States to put words into action by effectively implementing its targeted sanctions on the Syrian regime.

    Dec 19, 2011