UN Human Rights Chief Calls For Accountability In Syria After President Assad's Fall

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk. (Twitter/@volker_turk/OHCHR)

JAKARTA - The UN's Head of Human Rights (HAM) on Monday called for accountability for violators in Syria, along with the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, saying there is a "big opportunity" for an inclusive political transition and promising early signs.

Syrians woke up on Monday with a hopeful but uncertain future, after rebels seized the capital Damascus followed by the fall of President Assad, after 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of Assad's family administration.

"We need to ensure that those responsible for these violations, both on the previous government side, the president and others, but also all others responsible for the offense, they are held accountable," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told a news conference in Geneva. Syria reported Reuters December 9.

"(Accountability) will be an important part of the transition, because we must not go back to times when impunity is truly rampant," he continued.

Turk's office pointed to the disappearance of more than 100,000 people during the war alone, as well as the alleged use of torture and chemical weapons.

Syria is currently not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), although the new government can join forces. Russia blocked previous attempts at the UN Security Council to refer Syria to court.

On the other hand, Turk says there is a "big opportunity" for an inclusive dialogue about the political transition in Syria's new era.

"I hope that in the current environment there will be an inclusive dialogue, very inclusive," he said.

"There is a great opportunity for this to happen. And what we have seen at first is indeed cooperation," he added, citing the coordination between Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Jalali and rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani.