(Beirut) – The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024 created new possibilities to ensure accountability for years of atrocity crimes and the opportunity to establish a new government that respects human rights, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2025. Transitional Syrian authorities should take steps to urgently secure and preserve physical evidence across the country of grave international crimes by members of the former government.
For the 546-page world report, in its 35th edition, Human Rights Watch reviewed human rights practices in more than 100 countries. In much of the world, Executive Director Tirana Hassan writes in her introductory essay, governments cracked down and wrongfully arrested and imprisoned political opponents, activists, and journalists. Armed groups and government forces unlawfully killed civilians, drove many from their homes, and blocked access to humanitarian aid. In many of the more than 70 national elections in 2024, authoritarian leaders gained ground with their discriminatory rhetoric and policies.
“Following 13 years of war and decades of authoritarianism, Syrians have the opportunity to seek accountability for the Assad government’ atrocities and chart a new path forward in which everyone’s rights are respected and fulfilled,” said Adam Coogle, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Transitional authorities should not stand in their way and should demonstrate through actions, not simply words, that they are committed to that goal.”
- In 2024, over 90 percent of Syrians lived under the poverty line. Approximately 12.9 million people – more than half of the population – struggled to access sufficient quality food, and at least 16.7 million Syrians required humanitarian aid. Yet, humanitarian funding for Syria plunged to its lowest levels in recent years.
- Despite an order by the International Court of Justice to prevent state-sponsored torture, the former Syrian government failed to halt abuses or ensure accountability. European courts pursued individual accountability efforts with convictions for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
- Non-state armed groups operating in Syria, including Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and factions of the Syrian National Army (SNA) who initiated the offensive on November 27 that toppled the Assad government, had been responsible for human rights abuses and war crimes.
- Türkiye and Lebanon summarily deported thousands of Syrians back to Syria. After December 8, many European countries suspended asylum application processing for Syrians.
Syria’s new leadership should seize on an unprecedented opportunity to lead by example on human rights, including by protecting basic rights of all Syrians in a new constitution. The new authorities should ratify and put into practice international legal and human rights instruments and treaties.
Neighboring countries and others that host sizable numbers of Syrian refugees should not rush to deport or otherwise expel Syrians from their territories and should maintain their temporary protection or refugee status. Other countries should urgently consider lifting general or sectoral sanctions, including as they pertain to humanitarian operations, as well as sanctions on Syrian financial institutions.