Message from the Head of the IIIM
It will be ten years this December since the IIIM was established. In 2016 Member States made a bold and far-sighted decision, that one day accountability for Syria would be possible, and that when that day came, the evidence would need to be there. December 2024 proved them right.
Now, as Syria navigates the complex work of transition, that same foresight has positioned the IIIM as an essential part of what comes next. This Mechanism was built for the long game. Collect the evidence. Preserve it. Analyse it. Support the prosecutions. Do the work, year after year, even when comprehensive justice remained elusive.
In this bulletin you will read how that approach continues to bear fruit, in courtrooms across Europe, in support to active investigations in jurisdictions around the world, and for the first time, in the preservation of material on Syrian soil. You will also read how the IIIM has now shared information and evidence with international justice actors on more than 1,000 separate occasions, supporting investigations across jurisdictions and efforts to clarify the fate of the missing. Most recently, the IIIM brought that expertise directly to Damascus, convening its first in-country workshop on information and evidence management with Syrian national institutions.
While the IIIM is an example of what the UN can achieve, our work is only possible because of the cooperation of others. We are able to bring our resources and expertise to advance international justice because Syrians, and in particular victims and survivors, have supported us. Often at great personal risk, many have documented the violations and crimes of the Assad regime and other perpetrator groups and trusted us with that material. They have kept accountability at the forefront of the international agenda when justice felt impossibly distant. Their voices influence everything we do. Their trust matters now more than ever.
Syria is navigating a fragile transition, and with it come competing pressures and priorities. But justice is not one priority among many, it is a foundation. Victims and survivors need more than the promise of justice. They need clear pathways and tangible outcomes from investigations and judicial processes.
As those pathways are established, the IIIM’s mandate is more relevant than ever. We are currently engaged in productive discussions on a cooperation agreement with the Syrian authorities that will govern the IIIM’s collaboration with Syria, including on information sharing and technical assistance. I look forward to a framework that would pave the way for substantive collaboration in support of accountability efforts in Syria, guided by a shared commitment to inclusive, impartial justice and respect for due process. As this bulletin outlines, the IIIM stands ready to support Syria as it bolsters institutions and builds new inclusive frameworks. Establishing operations in Damascus remains a priority.
In the meantime, we remain an essential resource assisting extraterritorial investigations and prosecutions, and fulfilling the vision of 2016, that every avenue for justice will be pursued and that wherever possible victims and survivors will see perpetrators held accountable.
This bulletin details what that means in practice. The work is advancing. The evidence held by the IIIM is secure. And this Mechanism will continue to fulfil its mandate, for Syria, and for all those who have placed their trust in the promise of justice.
Robert Petit
Head, International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism
IIIM in Numbers
The table below reflects cumulative figures as of the dates shown. An ‘evidence package’ refers to a discrete property of evidence registered in the IIIM’s central repository, including documents, digital files, physical records, interview transcripts, and open-source material.
| As of Dec 2025 | As of Apr 2026 | |
| Evidence packages registered and preserved | 1,000+ | 1,100 |
| Requests for assistance received | 539 | 560 |
| Distinct investigations requests relate to | 360 | 371 |
| Investigations supported | 257 | 270 |
| Trials supported | 26 | 31 |
| Analytical products shared | 49 products (shared 227 times) | 51 products (shared 235 times) |
| Information and evidence sharing activities | 938 | 1002 |
| Cooperation frameworks in place | 108 | 110 |
Recent Activities
IIIM Holds Its First In-Country Workshop with Syrian National Institutions
(11-12 May)
Marking an important step in its direct engagement with Syrian national stakeholders, the IIIM convened its first workshop in Syria on information and evidence management, held with the support of the Government of the United Kingdom.
The workshop brought together senior officials and technical focal points from the Ministries of Justice, Interior, Foreign Affairs and the National Commission of Transitional Justice alongside United Nations officials and international technical experts.
Drawing on its nine years of operational experience collecting, preserving, processing and analysing information and evidence, the IIIM shared lessons learned and best practices, along with strategic and operational considerations. Presentations focused on how this experience can help Syrian institutions effectively manage and use digital information and evidence in transitional justice processes.
“This workshop is an important first step in coordinated technical engagement between the IIIM and Syrian transitional justice institutions on information management,” said Keith Hiatt, Chief of the IIIM’s Information Systems Management Section. “Collectively, these institutions hold data that will help tell the stories of victims and survivors, contributing to meaningful accountability under the law.”
The IIIM stands ready to support Syrian institutions across the range of its mandate and expertise, and welcomes further engagement on priority issues central to Syria’s transitional justice process.
IIIM and NCTJ Explore Collaborative Opportunities (May 10)
The IIIM met with the Syrian National Commission for Transitional Justice (NCTJ) at the commission’s headquarters to explore avenues for future collaboration and to deepen joint efforts in advancing justice and accountability in Syria, particularly in relation to data management. The IIIM thanks the NCTJ for hosting the meeting and looks forward to continued engagement with the Commission.
Demand for IIIM Continues
Since becoming operational in 2018, the IIIM has shared with international justice actors information and evidence to support justice efforts and to help clarify the fate of missing persons in Syria on more than 1,000 separate occasions.
This milestone in sharing activities reflects the sustained and growing demand for the IIIM’s expertise and specialized resources in support of Syria-related investigations and prosecutions and broader justice objectives. IIIM Head Robert Petit highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating: “Behind the milestone of 1,000 sharing activities are 270 distinct extraterritorial investigations and prosecution supported. It is a clear measure of the continuing demand for our work and the opportunities for contributing to the urgent efforts to support broader justice initiatives.”
The materials shared directly support ongoing extraterritorial investigations and prosecutions, including the 40 judicial proceedings for which the IIIM has been authorized to publicly disclose its involvement, though its contributions extend to many more cases still confidential at this stage. Source consent underpins every IIIM sharing activity. No materials the IIIM holds are ever shared without the prior consent of those who provided them.
First IIIM Evidence Collection Conducted in Syria
In cooperation with the Syrian Government, the IIIM conducted its first evidence collection in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The IIIM team was given access to visit and document the Al-Khatib detention facility, formerly operated by General Intelligence Branch 251. For years, survivors and former detainees have provided testimonies describing the widespread and systematic use of torture, cruel treatment, and inhumane conditions of detention at this facility.
The site still bears visible traces of the atrocities committed within its walls. The operation, conducted with the support of the Syrian Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, will contribute to ongoing and future judicial proceedings aimed at holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
By preserving sites of detention and abuse and rigorously collecting evidence, the IIIM and Syrian authorities aim to support justice processes, upholding victims’ rights, and ensuring that grave violations are neither erased nor forgotten. The site visit enabled the IIIM to share additional information to support prosecutors in Germany opening the trial of Fahad A.
IIIM Head to General Assembly: Opportunity for Justice is Now
On 15 April 2026, IIIM Head Robert Petit briefed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on the IIIM’s annual report and called on member states to support Syrian institutions to advance justice and accountability. He pointed to tangible progress in Syria, newly established National Commissions for Transitional Justice and Missing Persons, and the apprehension of thousands of alleged perpetrators by Syrian authorities. He cautioned, however, that these developments remain partial and that significant challenges persist.
“Syria enters a new and uncertain phase of transition. One constant remains: justice cannot take root without sustained commitment, adequate resources, and structures capable of recognising all victims and all crimes.”
Member States welcomed the IIIM’s progress and reaffirmed their support.
Read Mr Petit’s full remarks here. Watch the UN Briefing and debate here.
Historic Roundtable: Extraterritorial Prosecution of Assad Regime Crimes
On 12–13 January 2026, the IIIM welcomed Syrian justice actors alongside international prosecutors and investigators, in Geneva, for two days of focused discussions on accountability for crimes committed by the former Syrian regime.
The meeting, which included Syria’s Deputy Minister of Justice for Judicial Affairs, the Public Prosecutor, members of the judiciary and of the National Commission for Transitional Justice, would have been inconceivable before the fall of the Assad regime. It marked another significant step forward for justice and accountability.
On the first day, the IIIM briefed Syrian Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives, as well as the National Commission for Transitional Justice, on its ongoing support to jurisdictions investigating and prosecuting core international crimes. The session drew on lessons from international judicial cooperation and provided space for Syrian participants to share their perspectives on domestic justice processes.
On the second day, non-Syrian war crimes prosecutors and investigators from several national jurisdictions joined the Syrian participants for a broader roundtable. Discussions covered the operational realities of extraterritorial proceedings, shared challenges, and practical strategies for overcoming barriers to cooperation — including through the IIIM’s mandate.
Head of the IIIM, Robert Petit, noted that “We are entering a new phase in which domestic Syrian efforts and ongoing extraterritorial proceedings coexist and increasingly depend on one another. This coexistence creates opportunities.”
Across both days, the discussions demonstrated constructive engagement, a shared understanding of priorities, and genuine interest in further collaboration.
Lausanne CSO Online Briefing
Over forty Civil Society Organisations attended the Lausanne Online Briefing, an informal meeting convened by Switzerland and the Netherlands. The briefing provided a platform for Syrian civil society organizations and the IIIM to discuss the details of the Mechanism’s twelfth report to the General Assembly (A/80/650) and to hear directly from the IIIM Head on the IIIM’s progress inside and outside Syria.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Conflict
The IIIM participated in the International Bar Association War Crimes Committee Conference, contributing to a panel exploring the use of artificial intelligence in conflict — specifically how AI intersects with the parameters of criminal responsibility and procedure, and its implications for victims and survivors.
The IIIM team shared how they have navigated the practical and ethical challenges of integrating new technologies into its preservation workflows, maintaining rigorous standards of evidence integrity while keeping pace with rapidly evolving tools.
IIIM in Action: Analysis, Legal Briefs, and Expert Testimony
A key track of the IIIM’s work is that of investigation and analysis which builds on the collection and preservation of information and evidence. Within its strategic lines of inquiry, the IIIM produces analytical reports and legal briefs that help competent jurisdictions understand the broader context of crimes in Syria, the patterns of violence, the structures of command and control, and the links between groups, individuals, and specific crimes.
These reports and briefs serve a dual purpose. They are shared with prosecutors and investigators to support the preparation of cases. They can also be submitted directly as expert or overview reports in trial proceedings, helping jurisdictions establish the context in which alleged crimes took place.
When a IIIM report is used in evidence, jurisdictions will sometimes request that a staff member testify in person. IIIM staff will then appear as contextual or expert witnesses, explaining the mandate and methodologies of the IIIM, and speaking to the substance of the relevant report. This can assist a court in understanding the context in which the alleged crimes took place, or in establishing how the evidence meets specific legal elements of the charges.
A recent example of how this works in practice was in the trial of Sabri Essid which was held in Paris in March 2026. This concerned a French national who had joined ISIL and was charged with genocide and crimes against humanity for the enslavement of Ezidi women and children. The IIIM’s crimes against humanity related report which establishes that ISIL conducted a systematic attack against the civilian population and that targeting the Ezidi community was part of ISIL’s ideology and policy, was used in the case.
A IIIM staff member testified to the court about the IIIM’s findings in the brief, helping judges understand how ISIL’s treatment of civilians living under its control, and particularly Ezidis, satisfied the legal threshold for crimes against humanity. This testimony was considered alongside evidence from victims, civil society organisations, other experts, and documentary material produced by ISIL itself. The accused was convicted on all charges, the first conviction of a French national for genocide, and the first time an ISIL member has been convicted for crimes against Ezidis of genocide and crimes against humanity in French courts.
Justice Development Map
Below is a selection of proceedings where disclosure of IIIM support has been permitted. The IIIM’s work supports jurisdictions globally and those listed are only a fraction of the cases the IIIM contributes to. Many additional cases remain confidential for investigative or legal reasons.
- The IIIM support varies depending on the needs of jurisdictions and examples of assistance include sharing of information and evidence, development of analytical products, geolocation reports, legal analysis, providing testimonial evidence at trial, investigative activities, witness engagement and interviews.
Recent Justice Developments
Sweden
Mahmoud Sweidan (Pro-Former Government Militia) – Trial Judgment
On 4 May 2026, the Solna District Court sentenced Mahmoud Sweidan – a former member of the Assad pro-Regime militia Free Palestine Movement – to life imprisonment for war crimes committed in Yarmouk Camp in Damascus, in 2012–2013. He was convicted for participating in an attack on a demonstration on 13 July 2012, which resulted in civilian deaths and injuries. He was also convicted for operating a checkpoint where civilians were stopped and handed over to Syrian security forces, which led to killings, torture, and other inhuman treatment.
- The IIIM provided substantial support to the criminal investigation, including through dedicated investigative activities and the provision of information and evidence.
United Kingdom
Salem Al-Salem (Former Syrian Government) – Charges
On 9 March 2026, Salem Al-Salem, a former colonel in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence, was charged by the UK Crown Prosecution Service with three counts of murder as crimes against humanity, three counts of torture, and one count of conduct ancillary to murder, in relation to crimes committed in Damascus in 2011. It is alleged that in his role as a colonel in the AFI, Al-Salem led agroup tasked with quelling demonstrations in the suburbs of Damascus. The case was referred to the Central Criminal Court for further proceedings.
This is the first time the UK Crown Prosecution Service has brought charges of crimes against humanity under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
- The IIIM supported the criminal investigation by the UK War Crimes Team through the provision of information and evidence.
France
Lafarge Terrorism Case (ISIL) – Trial Judgment
On 13 April 2026, the Paris Criminal Court convicted Lafarge SA and several former senior executives for financing terrorist groups in Syria. The conviction concerned payments made between 2013 and 2014 by Lafarge, through its Syrian subsidiary, to armed jihadist groups, including ISIL, to maintain operations at its cement plant in Jalabiya, northern Syria.
Lafarge SA was sentenced to the maximum criminal fine of EUR 1.125 million. Its former CEO, Bruno Lafont, was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment with immediate incarceration, and seven other former executives received prison sentences ranging from 18 months to seven years, including immediate incarceration for the former deputy CEO, Christian Herrault.
- The IIIM supported the investigation that led to the trial before it was severed from the core international crimes investigation by providing information and evidence, as well as a legal analysis demonstrating the existence of a systematic attack against the civilian population in Syria by ISIL.
Sabri Essid (ISIL) – Trial Judgment
On 20 March 2026, the Paris Assize Court convicted French national Sabri Essid in absentia of genocide and crimes against humanity, sentencing him to life imprisonment.
The conviction relates to acts Sabri Essid committed in Syria between 2014 and 2016 as a member of ISIL, including genocide through causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, and crimes against humanity including enslavement, torture, rape, persecution, and other inhumane acts against Ezidi women and children.
The trial constitutes the first conviction in France of an ISIL member for genocide and crimes against humanity, whereas previous French ISIL cases had been limited to terrorism-related offences. It is also the first time ever a French national has been convicted of genocide.
- The IIIM supported the investigation through the provision of information, evidence, and its report establishing the legal and evidentiary basis for crimes against humanity charges against ISIL perpetrators, as well as through in-court testimony.
The Netherlands
Rafik A. (ISIL) (Pro-Former Government Militia) – Ongoing Trial
On 8 April 2026, the District Court of The Hague opened the trial in the case code-named “Shildon” concerning a Syrian man suspected of having been the head of the interrogation department of the pro-government militia National Defense Forces (NDF) in Salamiyah from 2013 to 2014. He is prosecuted for torture and crimes against humanity, including sexual violence and rape. It is the first time an individual is prosecuted for sexual violence as a crime against humanity in The Netherlands.
The verdict is scheduled for 9 June 2026.
- The IIIM substantially supported the investigation by providing information and evidence, as well as targeted investigative assistance, including witness identification, witness interview, and facilitation of engagement with witnesses.
Hasna A. (ISIL) – Appeal Judgment
On 25 March 2026, The Hague Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of Dutch national and former ISIL member Hasna A. for slavery of an Ezidi woman as a crime against humanity, participation in a terrorist organization (ISIL), preparatory acts for terrorist crimes, and child endangerment (for leaving her minor child in a helpless situation) in Raqqa, Syria, in 2015. The sentence was reduced from 10 to 9 years’ imprisonment.
Importantly, the victim was awarded € 15,000 compensation.
Hasna A. was the first individual in the Netherlands to be tried for crimes committed against Ezidis.
- The IIIM supported the investigation through the provision of information and evidence.
Germany
Fahad A. Case (Former Syrian Government) – Ongoing Trial
On 27 April 2026, the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz opened the trial against Fahad A., a former guard at the Al‑Khatib detention facility (General Intelligence Branch 251) in Damascus between April 2011 and April 2012. He was arrested in Germany in late May 2025.
Fahad A. is charged with murder, torture and deprivation of liberty as crimes against humanity and murder. He is alleged to have taken part in more than 100 interrogations involving electric shocks, beatings, and stress positions. During his alleged period of service, at least 70 detainees were reported to have died as a result of torture and inhumane detention conditions.
The IIIM supported the investigation by providing information and evidence and by conducting a visit to the Al‑Khatib detention facility in Damascus with the support of the Syrian authorities, to document the site for the trial.
Glossary
- Command and Control – Refers to the authority and responsibility that military or civilian leaders hold over their subordinates. In international law, a commander can be held legally responsible for crimes committed by those under their command if they knew (or should have known) that such crimes were being or were about to be committed and failed to prevent or punish them. This principle ensures that those at the top of a chain of authority cannot escape accountability by claiming they did not personally carry out an act.
- Extraterritorial Proceedings – Legal proceedings conducted by a country’s courts over crimes that took place outside its own territory. Normally, a country’s courts only handle crimes committed within its borders. Extraterritorial jurisdiction is an exception that allows states to prosecute crimes based on other factors, such as the nationality of the accused or victim, or because the crime is so serious (e.g., torture, genocide) that international law permits or requires any state to act. This is also known as universal jurisdiction in its broadest form.
- In Absentia – being tried and convicted without being physically present in court (e.g. the Sabri Essid case).
- Evidence Integrity – The documented and unbroken record of how evidence has been collected, handled, stored, and transferred, ensuring that materials have not been altered, contaminated, or compromised at any stage. The IIIM applies rigorous standards to maintain evidence integrity so that materials held in its central repository meet the evidentiary standards required by criminal courts. This includes periodic integrity audits, secure storage with multiple backups, and verification of chain of custody before any evidence is shared with jurisdictions.
- Strategic Lines of Inquiry – The IIIM does not investigate all reported crimes equally, it focuses its resources along defined thematic and organizational priorities, known as strategic lines of inquiry. These may include specific perpetrator networks, particular types of crimes, or patterns of abuse. This focused approach ensures that the evidence gathered and analysed is most likely to be useful across multiple investigations and jurisdictions.
For more definitions see here.
IIIM on Social Media Platforms
The IIIM is now on X, Facebook and LinkedIn follow for our latest updates and news.
You can also join the IIIM WhatsApp channel to receive the latest updates directly to your phone.
We also want to hear from you with comments, feedback questions and more on what you’d like to know about the IIIM’s work and activities.