Accountability for Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria

• One: Verify the geographic locations of all impact sites identified by the UN Mission responsible for investigating the chemical weapons allegations, and identify any additional impact sites not mentioned in the UN Mission’s report. In the process, identify, collect, and compile images and videos of the sites after the attack. Finally, map the sites.
• Two: Identify, collect and verify all available online information on the munitions and delivery system used in the Eastern Ghouta attack. Include information on the type of munitions and launch system used, the groups that had access to those munitions and delivery systems, and estimate the launch range, if possible.
• Three: Identify public statements made by the Russian and Syrian government officials or their surrogates in press releases, media interviews and social media posts.

On November 14, 2023, the French judiciary issued historic arrest warrants for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and three of his associates for the alleged use of chemical weapons in 2013 that killed more than one thousand civilians. The underlying investigation for complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes was initiated in April 2021 by our partners at Open Society Justice Initiative, Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, and Syrian Archive with support from ArcticWind and the Human Rights Center’s legal investigation team. Led by Technology, Law & Policy Director Lindsay Freeman, the team of Berkeley students assisted our partners in the collection of open source information and evidence related to the incident showing that the Syrian government violated international law in these attacks. Read more about the universal jurisdiction case and its implications for Assad and his associates here.