As part of its ongoing commitment to human rights for all Syrians and addressing the issue of missing persons in Syria by all parties, Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIMP). The Institution was established by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 77/301 in June 2023, with the goal of uniting international and national efforts to determine the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons in Syria and to provide proper support to survivors and the families of the missing.
In recent years, STJ has actively documented cases of enforced disappearances, unlawful detention, and related violations. This includes interviewing victims and their families and preparing reports that improve the international community’s understanding of these violations in Syria. The organization has adopted a victim- and family-centered approach, ensuring their voices are included in both documentation and advocacy processes.
STJ has played a crucial role in international advocacy efforts to establish an independent mechanism solely dedicated to uncovering the fate of missing persons in Syria. Our work relies on thorough documentation and firsthand testimonies from the families of victims, with a special focus on the human side of the ongoing crisis impacting hundreds of thousands of Syrians with missing loved ones.
This MoU establishes a formal framework for cooperation between the two parties, including sharing information and ongoing coordination to support the pursuit of truth for the families of the missing. The agreement also allows for future collaboration in additional technical and operational areas, including mutual referrals of missing families and providing support to them.
STJ asserts that this MoU reflects the Institution’s recognition of the vital role that Syrian civil society organizations can play in supporting the implementation of its mandate. This includes providing field-based information and data, amplifying the voices of victims and their families, and helping design responses that are tailored to their diverse needs.
STJ reaffirms its full commitment to maintaining close collaboration with the families of those missing and affected communities. The organization remains dedicated to creating a reliable record of the missing persons and the circumstances surrounding their disappearance. We also aim to promote the broadest possible participation in efforts toward accountability and transitional justice, ultimately seeking to uncover the truth, achieve justice, and provide redress.