Obeida Dabbagh recounted the anguish experienced by his family due to the enforced disappearance of his brother Mazen and nephew Patrick by the Assad regime during the Syrian civil war. They suffered years of torture before being falsely declared dead in 2018. Dabbagh’s legal efforts have led to significant actions against regime officials, signifying a broader fight for justice and accountability amid ongoing human rights abuses in Syria.
In Syria, Obeida Dabbagh, a relative of two victims of enforced disappearance, has articulated the profound suffering stemming from the regime’s actions during the civil war. His brother Mazen and nephew Patrick, both Syrian-French nationals, were captured by Air Force Intelligence in November 2013, held for several years under torture, and falsely declared dead in 2018, years after their disappearance. Mr. Dabbagh shared his family’s ordeal with the Committee on Enforced Disappearances at the UN Office in Geneva (UNOG).
He emphasized that both victims were non-participants in the protests against President Bashar al-Assad, which the regime violently suppressed through mass arrests and torture. Mr. Dabbagh recounted how the regime exploited their suffering by extorting money from the family for false promises of information and release, also displacing Mazen’s wife and daughter from their home in Damascus.
“This fight goes beyond my family,” Mr. Dabbagh asserted, underscoring that it represents a broader struggle for justice against impunity for wartime crimes. His legal initiatives aimed not only for justice for Mazen and Patrick but also to contribute to a global opposition against the atrocities committed by the Syrian regime. Before their arrest, Mazen was involved in education while Patrick was studying psychology.
In their desperate pursuit of justice, the family sought assistance from Syrian, French, and international authorities, including the Red Cross and the European Union. In 2016, with the help of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), they filed a complaint with the Paris Prosecutor’s office for crimes against humanity. This initiated a significant investigation by the French justice system, leading to key testimonies from Syrian defectors.
As a result, in March 2023, three senior officials from the Syrian regime, including Ali Mamlouk, Jamil Hassan, and Abdel Salam Mahmoud, received indictments for their roles in crimes against humanity. Their trial in May 2023 culminated in life imprisonment sentences given in absentia for complicity in various serious crimes, including enforced disappearance and torture.
The Committee on Enforced Disappearances oversees the implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2006 and enforced since 2010, ratifying countries must adhere to its provisions such as prohibiting secret detention and committing to prosecute offenders. Independent expert Fidelis Kanyongolo emphasized the essential role of extra-territorial jurisdiction, particularly since Syria has not ratified the Rome Statute, which would allow the prosecution of severe human rights violations by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The International Convention serves as the first binding human rights instrument addressing enforced disappearance, following the 1992 Declaration by the UN General Assembly. With 77 state parties currently, the Convention is a critical reference in international law.
On the 14th anniversary of the Syrian civil war, the UN Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry urged renewed efforts to hold perpetrators accountable, including those from Bashar al-Assad’s regime. “Evidence, including documents in prisons, courts, and mass grave sites, must be preserved,” the Commission concluded, advocating for future truth and accountability initiatives led by a new Syrian authority with the backing of key actors such as Syrian civil society.
The tragic testimonies of Obeida Dabbagh highlight the ongoing struggle for truth and justice among the families of victims subjected to enforced disappearance in Syria. His family’s fight, alongside legal measures taken against senior regime officials, underlines the need for a universal response to human rights violations. Continued advocacy and rigorous documentation of evidence remain essential in the quest for accountability and justice for the victims of the Assad regime. The plight of those affected emphasizes the urgent responsibility of the international community to support oversight and resolution of human rights abuses in Syria.
Original Source: news.un.org
