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Final Statement of the Advocacy Tour Conducted by the Syrian Forum Team in New York

New York – [October 22, 2024] – The Syrian Forum’s advocacy team, led by Yaser Tabara, co-founder and Chief Strategist, Danny Al-Baaj, Senior Advocacy Advisor, and Sally Shubat, Advocacy Officer in New York, concluded a successful tour on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The tour included meetings with several diplomatic missions to discuss the Syrian issue and the importance of keeping it on the international agenda.

During the tour, meetings were held with representatives of the diplomatic missions of Switzerland, South Korea, the United States, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Spain, Senegal, the Netherlands, and Brazil. The discussions focused on referring the Syrian file to the International Criminal Court (ICC) based on in-depth legal studies, including one prepared by the Syrian Forum. This study relies on legal precedents related to the crime of forced displacement, which is classified as a crime against humanity. The participants emphasized that these precedents provide a legal pathway to hold those responsible for crimes in Syria accountable without the need for a UN Security Council resolution, which has previously been blocked by veto.

The meetings also addressed recent developments that have strengthened the role of the ICC the possible issuance of arrest warrants for political leaders involved in other conflicts. This underscored that international law has become a critical tool for achieving justice, especially as the Security Council has been unable to address many conflicts effectively.

In a statement following the tour, Danny Al-Baaj said: “This tour was an important opportunity to continue our efforts to refer the Syrian case to the ICC. The veto that previously blocked this does not mean the path is closed. On the contrary, our reliance on legal precedents related to crimes of forced displacement and other violations gives us a new legal avenue to pursue those responsible for the crimes in Syria. In the meetings we also emphasized that political settlements must not come at the expense of justice or the rights of the victims.”

The Syrian Forum team concluded its tour by stressing the need to expedite the necessary procedures to refer the Syrian file to the ICC, emphasizing that this step would send a decisive political message that impunity for serious human rights violations will not be tolerated. The advocacy team also reaffirmed the importance of continued coordination and follow-up in the coming critical stages that will shape

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