Preserving this truth is urgent. Syrian victims, survivors and civil society must be at the centre of this process, and a coordinated plan - backed by international support - is essential. I wrote about here on @foreignpolicy.com

foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/17/s...

EN: iiim.un.org/wp-content/u...
AR: iiim.un.org/wp-content/u...

5/ Today, to further support efforts and assist newer Syrian civil society groups and individuals, IIIM released key guidelines on preserving vital physical and digital evidence, including “collecting, preserving and protection checklist” in Arabic and English, attached below.

4/ Accountability must now follow. Syrian civil society organisations are strong, capable and have become experienced in preserving information and evidence.

3/ The IIIM’s report is deeply significant, particularly as we continue to reflect and learn of the horrors at Sednaya prison and the many other detention facilities across Syria. Survivors, their families, and all those affected deserve to know the truth of what happened.

2/ On Friday, they released their first report, which sheds light on the systematic torture, ill-treatment, and violations within over 100 government detention facilities. iiim.un.org/iiim-release...

I never imagined I’d witness this in my lifetime. May those freed soon be reunited with their families and loved ones.

Legitimately, this is me too.

6/ Some incredibly emotional times ahead, but the work is just beginning.

5/ They are essential for holding individuals, command, and perpetrators accountable and ensuring that justice is pursued. But the road ahead requires preservation; these materials, these records and accounts, must be safeguarded, archived, and kept secure.

4/ These documents are not just pieces of paper—they are the threads that connect us to the past and to the hope for accountability. They hold the potential to expose the full extent of the crimes committed and the perpetrators behind them.

3/ Together, they’ll reveal what happened to those who have gone missing, help families understand what happened to their loved ones, and serve as key pieces in accountability efforts.

2/ The documents being uncovered will eventually become the cornerstone of future cases. The prisoners being released will share testimony to the horrors we have observed over the last 13 years.

7/ The complexity of Syria is often lost in the noise. There aren’t many voices here on BlueSky, but @natashahall.bsky.social has made a starter pack with a group of exceptional experts who have dedicated their career to this. It’s worth giving them a follow. bsky.app/starter-pack...

6/ This moment isn’t just about military advances. It’s about people who have waited for years to see their loved ones again and to see the streets that they grew up in. The renewed hope is palpable, and we can’t ignore the significance of this.

5/ For many, this new wave of fighting is a reminder of the false hope Syria has seen before—of pushes and counter-pushes that often fade. But for now, this is a win, and it matters. It’s a moment of resistance and of defiance.