On 5 October 2020, Open Society Justice Initiative, Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, and Syrian Archive filed a criminal complaint in Germany on behalf of victims of the chemical weapons attacks on Eastern Ghouta on 21 August 2013. The complaint was filed under the principle of universal jurisdiction. This historic step towards justice for the Syrian people was supported by student researchers at the Human Rights Center, who used open source investigation methods to help build the evidentiary dossier. Our team found corroborating open source information and evidence to support the criminal complaint and contribute to a dossier showing that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in violation of international law.
Investigation Objectives
- 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.
Partners
November 2023 Update
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.
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Student Contributions
Made of students, our Legal Investigation Team was tasked with collecting additional information on the attack using open source investigation techniques. Using the methodology in the Berkeley Protocol on Digital Open Source Investigations, students conducted online research to identify new, relevant information and verify and corroborate existing information about the attack.
Digital open source information identified, collected, and analyzed by the Legal Investigation Team played an important role in corroborating evidence and supporting the case filed against the Syrian government for their use of chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta. Through this work, UC Berkeley students contributed to the wider international effort for justice and accountability for crimes committed during the Syrian civil war.
News
November 15, 2023
HRC in the News — Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression: French Magistrates Issue Arrest Warrants for the Syrian President and Three Associates for Chemical Weapons Attacks,
November 22, 2023
HRC in the News — Sigrid Rausing Trust: SRT grantees celebrates victory as France issues international arrest warrant for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, reporting on universal jurisdiction case