With the announcement by the head of the National Commission for Missing Persons, Mohammad Reda Jalakhi, of the launch of the commission's work to search for and document missing persons through meetings and consultations with their families in the coming days, the head of the Transitional Justice Commission, Abdul Basit Abdul Latif, reassured the families of victims and missing persons that the path of justice has begun and that the criminals who committed crimes during the era of Bashar al-Assad's regime have begun to be brought to justice, as he put it.
Launching the Work
Yesterday, the Missing Persons and Transitional Justice Commissions held a meeting with a number of families of missing persons at the "Alyssar" restaurant in the Bab Touma area of Old Damascus. During the meeting, the official announcement of the launch of the commission's work was made in a speech by Jalakhi, who described the meeting as "a true and necessary beginning to a long and arduous process." He noted that this was his first official address as head of the National Commission for Missing Persons, a month and a half after the decree establishing it.
Two Decrees
On May 17, President of the Transitional Period, Ahmed al-Sharaa, issued Decree No. 19 establishing the National Commission for Missing Persons. The commission is tasked with uncovering the fate of missing and forcibly disappeared persons, collecting information related to them, documenting cases, creating a comprehensive national database, and providing legal and humanitarian support to their families.
The decree stipulates the appointment of Jalkhi as head of the commission, tasked with forming a working group and developing internal regulations within a maximum period of thirty days from the date of issuance of this decree. The commission is granted legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and it will perform its duties throughout the Syrian Arab Republic. On the same day, the Sharia also issued Decree No. 20 establishing the National Transitional Justice Commission.
The Commission is tasked with uncovering the truth about the grave violations that occurred in the country during previous periods, holding those involved accountable, and providing redress and compensation to victims. This is within the framework of achieving justice and national reconciliation, and stems from the belief in the necessity of achieving transitional justice as a fundamental pillar for building a state of law, guaranteeing the rights of victims, and achieving comprehensive national reconciliation.
The Head of Transitional Justice confirms that the trial of criminals has begun with their referral to the judiciary.
The decree appointed Abdul Basit Abdul Latif as head of the Commission. He is tasked with forming the relevant team and developing internal regulations within a period not exceeding thirty days from the date of the decree's issuance. The Commission shall enjoy legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and shall exercise its duties at the national level.
Six Stages
On its official page, the National Commission for Missing Persons announced that national consultations to support the formulation of the Commission's mandate had begun the day before yesterday, Saturday. Representatives of the families of missing persons met with the Commission's chairman and members of the advisory team to discuss the Commission's objectives and working mechanisms, and to listen to the families' opinions, with the aim of involving them in defining the Commission's work and setting its priorities.
On Sunday, Al-Jalkhi reiterated that the consultations initiated by the Commission are an official announcement of the launch of the first phase of its work within a six-stage plan that begins with listening to the families of missing persons and then progresses to documentation and research.
He noted that an advisory team has been established, including national and international experts, to be the voice of the families of missing persons in all Commission decisions. He noted that this is a large, complex, and intricate task that can only be accomplished through patience and mutual trust, in addition to the support of all concerned, including families, the government, civil society, and international partners. He continued, "We need time, resources, and collective action to achieve tangible results."
Tell your stories.
He added: "We promise you unwavering principles: complete transparency. Every step will be collaborative with you. We will also prioritize you and your needs through psychological, moral, social, and legal support." He urged the families of the missing not to despair, saying: "Your patience is the lifeblood that keeps this path alive. Therefore, tell your stories again and again, because a story that is not told dies twice. We assure you that your story will be told, heard, and respected." He pointed out that the National Commission for Missing Persons and the Transitional Justice Commission are the cornerstone of civil peace in Syria, noting that the Commission for Missing Persons has two primary missions: documentation and support.
He noted that after the Commission's establishment, work was undertaken at multiple levels with families, civil society organizations, and international institutions, in addition to working with many specialists. He reviewed the experiences of many countries and arrived at fundamental principles governing the Commission's work, from which it can proceed. These principles include partnership with all families of missing persons, transparency, and a commitment to the principle of inclusiveness, meaning that the Commission's work includes all Syrians. He also emphasized professionalism and scientific approach, given that the missing persons file is not only legal but also scientific.
The head of the Transitional Justice Commission, Major General Abdul Basit Abdul Latif, emphasized that the transitional justice process began with holding criminals accountable by bringing them to justice. He pointed out that the transitional justice process will not only extend during the years of the revolution, but will span 54 years of father-son rule. We all remember the massacres that took place in Hama, in Tadmur Prison, and in Jisr al-Shughur. In his speech, he explained that the path to justice stems from two considerations: the first is accountability and justice, which relate to the courts and the trial of criminals after their referral to the judiciary. The second consideration is embodied in non-judicial measures.
The first is uncovering the truth. The second is redress and compensation. The third is national memory and its preservation through the narrative of what happened during the rule of father and son. The third is reforming institutions such as prisons and ensuring that past mistakes are not repeated. The final consideration is the issue of reconciliation and civil peace.
Abdul Latif revealed that meetings have been held with more than 40 local and foreign organizations since the establishment of the commission, and that within daysThere is a visit to Geneva, and at the end of the month, there may be a visit to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He did not provide further details, confirming that the commission's bylaws have been finalized, and that "in a few days, we will announce its structure."
The issue of missing persons is one of the most important issues preoccupying the Syrian people since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. According to estimates from organizations concerned with this issue, there are more than 140,000 missing persons in the country whose fate is unknown, amid expectations that most of them were killed by the Assad regime and buried in mass graves that are being discovered successively.
During the meetings, and despite welcoming the launch of the two commissions and appreciating the efforts of their founders, there were calls to take the issue seriously and not to limit the matter to meetings and the formation of commissions. Rather, a speedy resolution of the detainee file is required, in addition to demands to know the fate of many of the missing persons who were arrested at checkpoints controlled by the former regime and forcibly disappeared. Several demands and appeals have also emerged from social media users following the work of both organizations, asking for the addresses of their official offices and whether they have branches in Syrian provinces. This information is missing from the official page of the National Commission for Missing Persons.
Syria Journal, Al-Quds Al-Arabi
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