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Justice for Syria cannot remain an empty promise
Dear friends,
Last month marked the fifth anniversary of the Syrian war. With abuse still rampant, the perspective of bringing perpetrators to justice seems distant at best. Yet several States have taken it upon themselves to prosecute Syrian war crime suspects: Germany, France, Finland, Austria and Sweden.
Universal jurisdiction, on which these prosecutions are based, is key to international justice. It reminds us that States bear the ultimate responsibility to fight impunity, with international tribunals acting only in subsidiarity.
TRIAL International’s report on universal jurisdiction shows this tendency is gaining momentum. Year after year, the number of countries resorting to universal jurisdiction grows steadily. Each one proving that justice, however imperfect, remains achievable when politicians commit to it.
We owe it to the tens of thousands of Syrian victims to step up our efforts. As long as the conflict goes on and no international court steps in, universal jurisdiction will remain their best chance to obtain justice.
Philip Grant, Director
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| www.trialinternational.org | info@trialinternational.org | ||||
