Brussels, 31/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - The representative of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces to Benelux and the EU, Mouaffaq Nyrabia, called upon the EU, on Wednesday 29 July, to take more measures against the Syrian regime, such as helping to set up a special international court or by pursuing Syrian leaders before the European national jurisdictions.
“While the International Criminal Court route remains blocked, alternative models of justice must be explored, including the viability of an ad hoc tribunal or trying human rights perpetrators in European national courts using universal jurisdiction principles”, Nyrabia suggested in a letter to the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. He stressed that it is “imperative” that the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, and all the perpetrators of human rights crimes in Syria know that they will ultimately be held accountable for their actions.
Nyrabia urges the EU to “intensify sanctions against human rights violators, sending a clear message that the current culture of impunity in Syria will not be tolerated any further”. He calls on the EU and the whole of the international community to develop a reflection on alternative options to bring the perpetrators to justice, as “now more than ever, we need a comprehensive plan for a long-term and sustainable solution to the situation in Syria”. Without a solution of this kind, there will “not be a long-standing peace in a future Syria”.
The representative of the Coalition also highlighted the need to protect the Syrian people from further violations of human rights and the abuses of the regime, extremists and foreign fighters, “including Hezbollah”. “Only by stopping the relentless killing by barrel bombs, chemical weapons and ISIL's barbarity can we lay the basis for a credible political solution”, he said.
On Wednesday 29 July, the United Nations mediator in Syria, Staffan de Mistura, proposed a new approach to the Syrian conflict, combining “thematic discussions” between Syrians on various dossiers, such as the fight against terrorism, and an international “contact group”. He said that the conditions have still not been met for the parties to discuss a political transition. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)