Syrian list

Nine months ago, in mid-March, in Deraa, in southern Syria, popular unrest broke out, which later spread to other cities. Since then, blood has been shed in the country. The death toll, according to the UN, has already exceeded five thousand. Tens of thousands are behind bars and tortured. What is happening in Syria? It is extremely difficult to obtain reliable information on this matter. The Syrian authorities insist on the legitimacy of their actions, allegedly aimed at protecting the civilian population from armed "terrorists". But at the same time neither observers nor journalists are allowed into the country. In recent months, I have been able to talk on the spot with hundreds of Syrians - witnesses and victims of crimes, as well as with those who were directly involved in the repression. I visited many cities where anti-government demonstrations took place, studied photo and video materials. And today I can say with confidence: the statements of the Syrian leadership are lies.

Here, for example, is what Khabib, a Syrian army soldier in the recent past, told me: “When the demonstrations began, the commanders confiscated our mobile phones, they didn’t let us go on dismissal, only state channels are on TV, and there everything is about terrorists and armed gangs who they want to seize the country... I must admit, at first I believed them - they were going to war. And then we were sent to Duma, not far from Damascus. I see a crowd of demonstrators there, but they have no weapons, not even sticks or stones. And the commander of the battalion, Colonel Muhamed Khader, ordered to shoot directly at them ... "

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It was possible to establish the names of 74 commanders and heads of special services units, up to the top military leadership, who gave criminal orders

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A new Human Rights Watch report on the situation in Syria contains dozens of similar testimonies from former military and intelligence officers. Their testimonies support our conclusion that the Syrian security forces have committed and continue to commit crimes against humanity – the systematic killing of peaceful demonstrators, mass torture and illegal arrests. We managed to establish the names of 74 commanders and heads of special services units, up to the top military leadership, who gave criminal orders.

President Bashar al-Assad's attempts to abdicate responsibility for the unbridled brutality of the army and security services are laughable. Even if, as Assad insists, he did not directly order the execution of demonstrators as supreme commander, he knew or should have known about what was happening. But he did nothing to stop the lawlessness. The heads of law enforcement agencies are also responsible for the criminal activities of their subordinates - Defense Minister Daoud Rajikha, Chief of the General Staff Imad Fahed el-Jasem el-Freij, Director of the Military Intelligence Department, Major General Abdul Fatah Qudsia, Head of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate, Major General Jamil Hasan, Chief Major General Ali Mamluk of the General Intelligence Directorate, Major General Mohamed Dib Zeytun, Head of the Political Security Directorate. Further investigation, I hope, will allow us to complete the list.

In order for the crimes of the Syrian security forces to be adequately investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice, the Syrian dossier must be transferred to the Hague Tribunal. Such a decision can only be taken by the UN Security Council. So the position of Russia, which has the right of veto in the Security Council, will be decisive. The actions of the Syrian leadership were sharply condemned not only by the UN Human Rights Council and the European Union, but also by the League of Arab States. But Russia remains one of the very few countries that support the Assad regime. Moscow continues to supply weapons to Syria, which the regime uses to quell protests.

Isn't it time for Russia to change its position? Russian leaders must understand that this will not only help stop the bloodshed in Syria, but will also allow Russia to strengthen its shattered authority in the Middle East region.