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After Decades of Prevention.. International Accountability Reaches Syria
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The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' visit to Damascus reflects a radical shift in dealing with human rights issues after the fall of the central regime
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, arrived in the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday, in a historic first-of-its-kind visit to the country.
The United Nations stated in its announcement that Türk, the Austrian lawyer, will conduct a tour including Syria and Lebanon from January 14 to 16, where he will hold meetings with officials, civil society representatives, diplomats, and international organization bodies.
This visit comes following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in a surprise attack last month, ending five decades of family authoritarian rule, which has opened the door for accountability of those responsible for crimes committed during the civil war that lasted more than 13 years.
The previous regime's authorities imposed strict restrictions on the entry of international organization officials and human rights organizations to investigate alleged violations, in a policy that reflected its absolute rejection of international accountability.
So far, Türk's office spokesman has not disclosed the number of previous attempts made by him or his predecessors to reach Syria, under a position that was created in 1993.
Observers view this visit as a fundamental shift in dealing with the human rights file in Syria, and an important step toward revealing the truth and achieving justice for victims.
Levant-Agencies
