Canada and the Netherlands jointly stated on Monday that they have initiated legal proceedings against Syria at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold it accountable for the torture of its own people
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th June, 2023) Canada and the Netherlands jointly stated on Monday that they have initiated legal proceedings against Syria at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold it accountable for the torture of its own people.
"On June 8, Canada and the Kingdom of the Netherlands started legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice to hold Syria accountable for torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment of its own people," the joint statement reads.
Accordingly, the Syrian government must be held accountable for the multiple crimes in has allegedly committed since the civil war began in 2011, the statement said, noting that for twelve years civilians have been tortured, murdered, sexually assaulted, forcibly disappeared and targeted by "mass scale" chemical attacks.
The statement added that Ottawa and Amsterdam have on two instances, in 2020 and 2021, called on Syria to act responsibly under international law and the UN Convention Against Torture, first initiating a dispute against Damascus under the latest.
However, neither attempts at a negotiated or arbitrated solution with Syria were successful, the statement continued, noting that Canada and the Netherlands took the latest step with the ICC to seek Damascus' compliance with its obligations under the Geneva Convention Against Torture.
Jointly, Canada and the Netherlands have also asked from the ICC that it orders provisional measures for the Syrian government to cease the alleged torture against its people.
Both countries added that they remain committed to upholding compliance under international law, and that no lasting peace can be achieved in Syria without accountability for human right.
