Investigation into Chemical Weapons
Our International Accountability team conducted investigations into alleged war crimes in Syria, focused on three categories of attacks that highlight the unlawful targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure: chemical weapons, barrel bombs, and hospital strikes. Working with international legal partners and Syrian civil society, we used our digital investigation skills and legal expertise to support justice and accountability efforts with a focus on universal jurisdiction cases in European courts.
Throughout 2020, our team provided investigative support to a consortium of strategic litigation partners — Open Society Justice Initiative, Syrian Archive, Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, and Arctic Wind — into the unlawful use of chemical weapons in Syria, including the use of chlorine and sarin gas against civilian populations. These investigations fed into legal briefs and evidence dossiers submitted to national prosecutors in Germany, France and Sweden under universal jurisdiction statutes.
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 HRC’s 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.
Investigation into Hospital Attacks
Hospitals and medical facilities, protected under international humanitarian law, have been systematically targeted during the conflict in Syria. Throughout 2021, our team provided investigative support to a consortium of strategic litigation partners into the unlawful targeting of hospitals and healthcare facilities. Our team helped develop evidentiary files for use in strategic litigation and international accountability processes. These investigations not only establish patterns of unlawful conduct but also highlight the deliberate targeting of healthcare infrastructure as a method of warfare.
Investigation into Barrel Bombs
Indiscriminate use of barrel bombs — improvised explosive devices dropped from helicopters — has been a hallmark of the Syrian conflict, causing widespread civilian casualties and destruction of urban areas. Our team collaborated with partners to gather and verify open source evidence of these attacks, including geolocated videos, photographic analysis, and witness accounts preserved online.
News
April 1, 2021
Strengthening Atrocity Cases with Digital Open Source Investigations
Satellite imagery depicting an attack in Syria. Commentary — Articles of War at the Lieber Institute of West Point: Strengthening Atrocity Cases with
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
October 6, 2020
Rights groups ask Germany to probe Syria chemical attacks
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash HRC in the News — Associated Press: Rights groups call on Germany to investigate Syria chemical weapons attacks,