Syria: World Court Begins Watershed Torture Case

(The Hague) – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings on October 10 and 11, 2023 on state-sponsored torture in Syria since 2011 are critically important for advancing justice, Human Rights Watch said today.
On June 8, the Netherlands and Canada filed a case with the court alleging that Syria is violating the international Convention Against Torture. The case cited unlawful treatment of detainees, inhumane detention conditions, enforced disappearances, sexual and gender-based violence, violence against children, and the use of chemical weapons. The case is not a criminal proceeding against individuals but seeks a legal determination of state responsibility for torture.