Families of Syria’s disappeared and survivors of torture call for an end to torture outside landmark International Court of Justice case
October 10, 2023, 2:53 pm

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Families of Syria’s disappeared and survivors of torture call for an end to torture outside landmark International Court of Justice case

Today (10 October 2023) Syrian survivors of torture and the families of those still detained and disappeared call for the release of all those facing torture in Assad’s prisons outside the International Court of Justice as the case brought by the Canadian and Dutch authorities against the Syrian state opens in the Hague.

Holding photos of victims of torture and their missing loved ones, families and survivors from the Truth and Justice Charter, a group of 10 different associations, asked the court to issue provisional measures to stop the ongoing practise of torture and arbitrary detention. They’re also calling for an end to the destruction of crucial evidence and for any information about all those detained to be shared with their families.

Mariam Al Hallak, founder of Caesar Family Association, said: “I carry a picture of my 25-year-old son, Ayham Ghazoul, who was tortured and killed only five days after he was arrested at Damascus University in 2012. It is too late for my son but more than 100,000 remain detained in Syria and we must fight for them. There is an urgent need to access the regime’s overcrowded dungeons to find them and provide medical care, food, and water. Their survival is at stake.”

The case was submitted after diplomatic talks with the Syrian regime and more than six months of arbitration attempts failed. However the Syrian state did not appear before the court today.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Syrian regime is responsible for the killing of 15,051 people, including 190 children and 94 women due to torture in detention centers since March 2011, with approximately 136,000 detainees or enforced disappearances still being subjected to torture.

The case will build on years of evidence collected by the UN, international NGOs and Syrian human rights groups, including the personal experiences of many of the family members of detainees and survivors present in the Hague today, highlighting the systematic use of torture in detention as one of the regime’s tools to crush dissent and spread fear amongst the population.
Ghina Al-Shomari, a Syrian activist, advocacy manager for female survivors of detention support network Release Me, whose husband was detained in Syria, said: “Today, Canada and the Netherlands met their commitment to justice and peace, which will be part of their legacy for years to come. This is the first time a legal case has been opened against the Syrian regime at an international court and it is an important step towards justice for victims of torture. Syrians are waiting for other countries to take similar accountability initiatives.
Ezz El-Din Saleh, Co-founder and Executive Director of the human rights group the T’azur Association, said from Qamishli, Syria: “I hope that the court will take effective measures to stop torture and inhuman treatment in Syria, including preventing the use of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance as a primary tool of repression.
“The international community must intensify accountability efforts against perpetrators of human rights violations, individuals and groups, and support the efforts made by the families, associations and associations of victims, and Syrian civil society organizations, in an effort to redress the victims and achieve justice, as a basis for building a comprehensive and sustainable peace.”
From Berlin, Laila Kiki, Executive Director of The Syria Campaign, said: “This is a significant long waited moment and the first time the Syrian state will be held to account for its systematic use of torture to instill fear in civilians and countering the culture of impunity. It serves as a significant message to the global community, that a regime responsible for some of the worst war crimes on the planet should not be allowed back into the diplomatic fold.”
Photographs from outside the trial can be downloaded here. Please credit Tameem Kammouhi, The Syria Campaign
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About the Trial

Earlier this year (12 June 2023), the Netherlands and Canada submitted a legal complaint to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold the Syrian regime accountable for violating the UN Convention Against Torture.
This is the first time a legal case has been opened against the Syrian regime at an international court and an important step towards justice for victims of torture after more than 12 years of brutal human rights violations under Assad’s regime.
Assad has committed countless war crimes against Syrians since the start of the revolution, including starvation sieges, deadly chemical weapons attacks, the bombing of hospitals and detention of anyone who dissents against the regime.
Previous efforts to pursue accountability for Syrian regime crimes have focused on individual

The recent tragedy in Israel Minor Detail

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.