Canada and the Netherlands Extend Pursuit of Torture Case in Syria

Canada and the Netherlands announced in a joint statement that the International Court of Justice has agreed to their request for an extension of the deadline for submitting their bill regarding their case against Syria until December 17, 2024. This case aims to hold the former Syrian government accountable for widespread and systematic violations of the Convention Against Torture since 2011, following the regime's brutal crackdown by Bashar al-Assad against the Syrian people. The two countries stated that recent developments in Syria, particularly the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, necessitate a review and assessment of the new conditions. Therefore, they requested an extension to submit a comprehensive bill reflecting these changes. The court has agreed to this request and set the new deadline for June 3, 2025. Canada and the Netherlands emphasized that achieving sustainable peace and reconciliation in Syria is impossible without accountability for human rights violations, truth-seeking, and justice. They called for the voices of victims and survivors to be heard and for justice to be established for them. The joint statement reads: 'We are fully committed to striving to achieve these goals.' The International Court of Justice announced in June 2023 that Canada and the Netherlands had filed a complaint against the Syrian government for committing widespread torture since at least 2011. In their complaint, they called for immediate actions to protect individuals at risk of torture and arbitrary detention by the Syrian government. According to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which Syria joined in 2004, Canada and the Netherlands were attempting to hold Bashar al-Assad's government accountable for gross human rights violations and the widespread use of torture.