Syria Justice and Accountability Center

Syria Justice and Accountability Center in 2013

United States views on international law [1] in relation to Syria Justice and Accountability Center: On February 20, 2013, the State Department issued a fact sheet, available at (link resource) usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/205075.htm, describing the Syria Justice and Accountability Center (“SJAC”). Excerpts follow from the fact sheet, explaining its mission and its reliance on the Rome Statute.

Some Aspects of Syria Justice and Accountability Center

The Syria Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC) is an independent entity that focuses on: 1) Collection and analysis of documentation related to ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) in Syria; 2) Coordination of Syrian and international actors working on documentation and transitional justice efforts; and 3) Education and outreach on transitional justice concepts and processes.

Developments

The SJAC is multilateral initiative, supported by the United States along with 40 other governments and international organizations.

Details

The SJAC is categorizing information based on international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes) listed under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (often referred to as the Rome Statute).

Project Background:

The SJAC operationalizes the commitment made by many states to support the documentation of human rights violations in Syria at the second Friends of the Syrian People (FOSP) meeting in Istanbul on April 1, 2012.

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The official SJAC website is (link resource) syriaaccountability.org.

The SJAC website features an interactive map that allows users to view statistics about human rights violations committed across various categories: massacres, indiscriminate killings, torture and detention, and property damage. All of the data displayed on the site is downloadable and includes links to the original sources of information. The SJAC website is updated regularly to include the latest reporting from the latest sources of information on the conflict in Syria. International Support:

Under the sponsorship of Morocco and the United States, and the co-chairmanship of the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights and the Syria Justice & Accountability Center (SJAC), a donor conference in support of the SJAC was held in Rabat, Morocco on September 14, 2012.

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Relationship to UN Commission of Inquiry:

The SJAC complements but does not supplant the efforts of the UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Syria. SJAC staff has met with the COI and are in regular communication as the SJAC is implemented.

Resources

Notes

1. Syria Justice and Accountability Center in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law