- Experts say redress must encompass truth-telling, rehabilitation and restitution
- Documentation gaps and property disputes present major implementation challenges
October 22, 2026 07:31
DAMASCUS: Syria will need clear eligibility rules, reliable verification mechanisms and coordinated institutions to establish an effective reparations system for victims of abuses committed under the former regime, legal and human rights experts told SANA.
The experts said reparations are a central element of transitional justice and must go beyond financial compensation to include truth-seeking, property restitution, medical and psychological rehabilitation, recognition of violations and safeguards against their recurrence.
Redress beyond financial compensation
Fadel Abdul Ghany, director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, said reparations should be proportionate to the severity and impact of the violations and adapted to each victim’s circumstances.
He said financial compensation alone would not provide complete redress to families of forcibly disappeared people unless efforts were made to determine the fate of missing relatives and establish the truth. Torture survivors also need treatment and rehabilitation in addition to compensation, he added.
Legal expert Raghid Diab said potential beneficiaries could include victims of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearance, as well as families of those killed or missing, displaced people, returning refugees and individuals who lost homes, land or livelihoods.
Diab said eligibility assessments should consider the nature of the harm and how it relates to documented violations. He added that displacement or refugee status alone does not automatically establish eligibility for a particular form of compensation.
He called for flexible evidentiary standards when official documents are unavailable, provided claims can be supported by credible alternative evidence. Assessments should also account for the extent and duration of the harm, the claimant’s vulnerability and individual needs while ensuring equal treatment.
Institutions and appeals process
Legal expert Suleiman Al-Qarfan said an effective reparations system would require coordination among institutions responsible for documenting violations, assessing victims’ needs and financing remedies.
He proposed establishing recovery centers that provide psychological, social and legal support, creating a national registry of verified information about victims and violations, and establishing a dedicated reparations fund to finance compensation and other forms of redress.
Al-Qarfan said victims should be able to understand their rights, submit claims and receive reasoned decisions within a reasonable timeframe. They should also have accessible procedures for challenging rulings.
The experts identified missing documents, destroyed records, limited access to information and property disputes as major obstacles to implementation. They urged authorities to establish clear eligibility and funding rules and avoid rejecting claims solely because official documentation is unavailable.
Accountability must remain separate
Abdul Ghany said victims’ right to reparations is grounded in international human rights and humanitarian law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture.
He said reparations should complement, rather than replace, criminal accountability. Victims should not be denied treatment or support while investigations or court proceedings continue, and compensation mechanisms must not be used to suspend investigations or shield perpetrators from justice.
The experts also stressed the importance of meaningful victim participation in setting priorities. They noted that the needs of families of missing people differ from those of torture survivors and displaced people who have lost homes and livelihoods.
They said Syria’s reparations efforts would ultimately depend on translating legal rights into practical, accessible measures that meet victims’ diverse needs.
