DAMASCUS: Human rights groups in the Syrian Arab Republic have condemned the last minute banning of a justice workshop they had planned to hold in Damascus, accusing the country’s transitional government of obstructing accountability.
Justice for the victims of crimes committed during the civil war which broke out in 2011 is one of the key issues facing Syria after Islamist-led rebels finally toppled longtime strongman Bashar Assad in December.
“The abrupt decision to ban the holding of this meeting... constitutes a flagrant violation of fundamental rights,” the groups said in a joint statement on Thursday.
“This arbitrary measure reflects an approach which undermines the principles of transparency and participation, and threatens the chances of delivering justice.
“It reminds us of the conditions we lived under before the victory of Dec. 8.”
An array of former members of Assad’s government and security forces have been accused of war crimes but allegations have also been made against the rebel groups who toppled him late last year.
“It’s possible that some officials considered that the presence of non-governmental organizations which documented the crimes and abuses that were perpetrated in Syria, and not just by the regime, risked one day putting them in a position where they would face accusations,” the rights groups said.
An official in Syria’s interim government said the foreign ministry would publish an explanation of the decision later.
The rights groups which had been due to take part in the workshop include the Caesar Files for Justice, the Syrian Archive, the Al Share’ Media Foundation and the Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research.
Syria rights groups slam government over justice workshop ban
https://arab.news/rfkr7
Syria rights groups slam government over justice workshop ban
- “The abrupt decision to ban the holding of this meeting... constitutes a flagrant violation of fundamental rights,” the groups said
- “It reminds us of the conditions we lived under before the victory of Dec. 8“
Sirens heard at Incirlik air base, key NATO facility in south Turkiye: state news agency
- Key NATO facility where US troops are stationed near the southeastern city of Adana
ANKARA: Sirens were heard early on Friday at Turkiye’s Incirlik air base, a key NATO facility where US troops are stationed near the southeastern city of Adana, state news agency Anadolu reported.
There was no immediate official comment on the incident, which took place four days after NATO air defenses shot down a ballistic missile in Turkish airspace that was fired from Iran, the second in five days.
Residents of Adana, which lies 10 kilometers away from the base, were woken at around 3:25 a.m. (0025 GMT) by sirens, which sounded for around five minutes, according to the Ekonomim business news website.
It said a red alert sounded at the base.
Several people posted mobile phone footage on social media of a glowing image flying through the sky, suggesting it could be a missile heading for the air base, it said.
Across the city, sirens from fire engines and the security forces could be heard for a long time, it added.
NATO said it shot down a second ballistic missile fired from Iran on Monday, prompting a stern warning from Turkiye to Tehran not to take “provocative steps.”
The announcement came shortly after Washington said it was closing down its consulate in Adana, urging all American citizens to leave southeastern Turkiye.
Since the US-Israeli war against Iran started, Tehran has launched strikes across the Middle East. Turkiye had appeared to have been spared.
As well as Incirlik air base, US troops are also stationed at Kurecik, another Turkish base that is a NATO facility in the center of the country, where a Patriot missile defense system was deployed on Tuesday.
A first missile had been intercepted by NATO defenses in Turkish air space on March 4.
