Step up trials of alleged Syrian war criminals, UN rights chief says | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
June 17, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025
Step up trials of alleged Syrian war criminals, UN rights chief says

World+Biz

Reuters
11 March, 2021, 05:10 pm
Last modified: 11 March, 2021, 05:12 pm

Related News

  • Angelina’s call for aid amid personal challenges
  • 26 killed as Syrian Turkish-backed groups attack Kurdish-held area in north
  • First Hasina, now Assad: A super year of elections turn into a year of fleeing for both
  • Crowds of Syrians celebrate the fall of Assad's regime
  • Who are the rebels in Syria?

Step up trials of alleged Syrian war criminals, UN rights chief says

Attempts to refer atrocities in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague for prosecution have failed, Michelle Bachelet said

Reuters
11 March, 2021, 05:10 pm
Last modified: 11 March, 2021, 05:12 pm
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. Photo: Collected
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. Photo: Collected

The United Nations human rights chief on Thursday urged countries to step up trials in their national courts against suspected war criminals in Syria as the conflict marks its 10th anniversary.

Attempts to refer atrocities in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague for prosecution have failed, Michelle Bachelet said.

Only one person has been convicted in a foreign court for crimes against humanity or war crimes in a conflict that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, many of them civilians.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Bachelet also called for increased efforts to trace tens of thousands of missing, whom she said included people held in jails run by government forces across Syria.

Pro-democracy protests against President Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian family rule erupted in March 2011 in southern Syria and were met by a crackdown. But they spread quickly across the country and developed into a multi-sided war that in addition to the numerous casualties has forced more than 11 million from their homes, around half the pre-war population.

Assad's forces, backed by Iran and Russia, have recaptured many areas once held by rebel factions and Islamist militants, but the war grinds on in some corners of Syria.

"We owe it to the victims to ensure the next decade is one of accountability and remedy, with their rights and needs addressed so they can rebuild their lives," Bachelet said in a statement.

It is thought that many possible war criminals have relocated overseas.

A German court sentenced a former member of President Bashar al-Assad's security services to 4-1/2 years in prison last month for abetting the torture of civilians, the first such verdict for crimes against humanity in the Syrian war.

"It remains vital that national courts continue to conduct fair, public and transparent trials and reduce the accountability gap for such serious crimes," Bachelet said, calling the conviction "an important step forward on the path to justice".

Assad's government has denied many previous UN accusations of war crimes and says it does not torture prisoners.

UN panel member Hanny Megally said it had been approached by 60 jurisdictions seeking information and it had provided information in about 300 ongoing cases.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visits prisoners in central prisons in Syria but does not have access to unofficial sites. Its findings are confidential.

"Clearly detention is one of these central issues and every day we try to first, improve the conditions of detention and two, enlarge our access," Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC regional director for the Middle East, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Top News

Syria Conflict / Michelle Bachelet

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Infographics: Duniya Jahan/TBS
    How Israel's secret nuclear arsenal comes under spotlight amid attacks on Iran
  • Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique speaks at a press conference, on the security of Bangladeshi expatriates in Iran, on Tuesday, 7 June 2025. Photo: TBS
    Around 400 Bangladeshis under serious threat in Tehran, relocation starts: MoFA
  • US President Donald Trump arrives at the White House on Marine One from Camp David, in Washington, US, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/ File Photo
    Israel-Iran air war rages as Trump says he 'may' send Witkoff or Vance to meet with Tehran

MOST VIEWED

  • Former Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem. Photo: Collected
    ACC launches inquiry against ex-Bangladesh envoy Saida Muna, husband over laundering Tk2,000cr
  • Infograph: TBS
    Ship congestion at Ctg port lingers as berthing time rises
  • BNP leader Ishraque Hossain held a view-exchange meeting with waste management officials and Dhaka South City Corporation staff inside Nagar Bhaban on 16 June 2025. Photos: Hasan Mehedi
    Ishraque holds Nagar Bhaban meeting as 'Dhaka South mayor', says it’s people’s demand
  • Power Division wants Tk56,000cr PDB loans turned into subsidy
    Power Division wants Tk56,000cr PDB loans turned into subsidy
  • Bangladesh to open new missions in five countries to boost trade, diplomacy
    Bangladesh to open new missions in five countries to boost trade, diplomacy
  • Screengrab from the viral video showing a man claiming to be a journalist conducting a room-to-room search at a guesthouse in Chattogram
    Viral video of guesthouse raid by 'journalist' in Ctg sparks outrage, legal questions

Related News

  • Angelina’s call for aid amid personal challenges
  • 26 killed as Syrian Turkish-backed groups attack Kurdish-held area in north
  • First Hasina, now Assad: A super year of elections turn into a year of fleeing for both
  • Crowds of Syrians celebrate the fall of Assad's regime
  • Who are the rebels in Syria?

Features

The Kallyanpur Canal is burdened with more than 600,000 kilograms of waste every month. Photo: Courtesy

Kallyanpur canal project shows how to combat plastic pollution in Dhaka

39m | Panorama
The GLS600 overall has a curvaceous nature, with seamless blends across every panel. PHOTO: Arfin Kazi

Mercedes Maybach GLS600: Definitive Luxury

1d | Wheels
Renowned authors Imdadul Haque Milon, Mohit Kamal, and poet–children’s writer Rashed Rouf seen at Current Book Centre, alongside the store's proprietor, Shahin. Photo: Collected

From ‘Screen and Culture’ to ‘Current Book House’: Chattogram’s oldest surviving bookstore

2d | Panorama
Photos: Collected

Kurtis that make a great office wear

4d | Mode

More Videos from TBS

Rising default loans threaten jobs, growth, trade

Rising default loans threaten jobs, growth, trade

1h | TBS Insight
Trump signs order confirming parts of UK-US tariff deal

Trump signs order confirming parts of UK-US tariff deal

1h | TBS World
What’s the position of the superpowers in Iran-Israel war?

What’s the position of the superpowers in Iran-Israel war?

2h | Podcast
Shahjalal Bank MD’s Take on the Banking Sector

Shahjalal Bank MD’s Take on the Banking Sector

44m | Corporate Talks
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net