Government forces and armed groups are bombing civilians, committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. And six years into the conflict, civilians remain at risk.
The demand for justice is increasingly urgent: the beginning of April saw the deadliest chemical attack in Syria since September 2013, killing dozens of men, women and children. And now the conflict has escalated with US airstrikes.
The crisis in Syria has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands and led millions of people — more than half the population — to flee their homes, either abroad or within Syria.
The people responsible for these atrocities remain out of the reach of justice, and civilians continue to suffer every day. It is time to deliver reparation for victims and their families, and ensure that war crimes and crimes against humanity do not go unpunished. In December 2016, the UN General Assembly agreed to a new mechanism aimed at investigating crimes committed in the Syrian conflict. It's time to put that opportunity for justice into action.
Call on the UN to ensure that an impartial and independent investigation in Syria happens now, so that those who are suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity are brought to justice in the future.
Mr. Secretary General of the United Nations,
I pledge my support for justice in Syria, and support the effective and speedy establishment of the international, impartial and independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Syria since March 2011, as stipulated in resolution 71/248 passed by the UN General Assembly on 21 December 2016.
Please take the necessary steps to ensure that the Mechanism achieves its overall objective.
[Your comments here[
Sincerely,
[Your name]
