Damascus, 30 September 2025: The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) participated alongside Syrian civil society, victims/survivors, government representatives, and international organizations at the Third Syrian Civil Society International Conference on Chemical Weapons in Damascus. Held under the theme “Justice and Accountability for Chemical Weapons Use in Syria – A Renewed Hope for Action After 13 Years of Impunity,” the conference renewed calls for accountability as a cornerstone of Syria’s future.
Speaking at the opening panel, IIIM Head Robert Petit emphasized that with its mandate to focus on individual criminal responsibility, the IIIM is uniquely placed to assist accountability for chemical weapons crimes. He underlined that delivering inclusive justice for victims/survivors of chemical weapons crimes is essential for a just and lasting peace in Syria.
The IIIM has established a dedicated line of inquiry into unlawful attacks, including chemical weapons, and is currently developing two casefiles, among them the sarin attacks of March and April 2017 in Hama and Idlib Governorates, including Khan Shaykhun. These casefiles are built to international criminal law standards, a higher threshold, to ensure their potential use in criminal proceedings before different jurisdictions. In developing this work, the IIIM draws on the documentation and advocacy of Syrian civil society organizations, medical NGOs, victims/survivors, and advocacy groups, while also building on the work of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission, the UN Joint Investigative Mechanism, and the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team. The IIIM has also conducted additional witness interviews with victims/survivors, doctors, and first responders, paying attention to the long-term physical and psychological impact of attacks, particularly on women and children.
The IIIM’s preservation of evidence and information it receives continues to expand its Central Repository. Sharing evidence with the IIIM has enabled it to support 251 investigations in 16 national jurisdictions. This includes sharing evidence with French authorities in their case against Bashar al-Assad and others for the 2013 chemical attacks in Ghouta and Douma.
The participation of Syrian government representatives, together with survivors and civil society, highlights a new opportunity for national ownership of accountability efforts, supported by international justice mechanisms such as the IIIM.
© SANA