The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria confirmed that illegal practices such as arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearance were used "systematically to suppress dissent" during the rule of the deposed Bashar al-Assad.
The Anadolu Agency reported that this came in a report published by the UN commission entitled "Web of Pain: Arbitrary Detention, Torture and Ill-Treatment in the Syrian Arab Republic" after interviewing thousands of witnesses regarding the abuses that occurred during the era of the deposed Assad regime.
The commission said in the report: "The former Syrian government (the Assad regime) systematically used arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearance to suppress dissent, and these acts constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes and some of the worst systematic violations of international law committed during conflicts."
The report indicated that detainees were released from torture chambers after the overthrow of the former regime, indicating that this indicates "a change for Syrians that was unimaginable two months ago."
* The pain continues
The report stressed that the violations related to arrests during the Assad era are "shocking to the Syrian people", noting that "the pain continues for tens of thousands of families who have not been able to find their missing relatives among the released detainees".
It stated that the discovery of mass graves led many families to "the worst outcome".
It added: "The experts stressed the urgent need to take decisive action to preserve evidence, archives and crime scenes, including mass graves, so that they can be examined and forensic excavations can be conducted when necessary".
The report indicated that those released were suffering from torture, malnutrition and various diseases, and stressed that these people were "left to die in unbearable pain".
* Preserving evidence
The report quoted the head of the committee, Paulo Pinheiro, as saying: "We are going through a critical transitional phase, and the transitional government and future Syrian officials can ensure that these crimes do not happen again".
He stated that they had obtained results from investigations that lasted for nearly 14 years, expressing his hope that these results would help end impunity for these violations.
For her part, committee member Lynn Welchman explained that this evidence may provide hope for Syrians who have not found their loved ones among those who have been released.
She added: "We commend the new authorities for their determination to preserve the mass graves and evidence, and encourage them to do more with the support of the concerned Syrian civil society and international actors."
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