Seventh Report – 12 February 2021 A/75/743
The present report is the seventh prepared by the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 for submission to the General Assembly.
The IIIM, although negatively affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the United Nations liquidity situation and subsequent hiring freeze, has nevertheless advanced on all prongs of its mandate by refining existing remote working methods and adopting new ones and by allocating limited resources strategically.
Fifth Report – 13 February 2020 A/74/699
The present report is focused on the practical application of the impartiality principle in the IIIM’s work. The principle is reflected in the IIIM’s efforts to further develop its central repository of information and evidence and to facilitate both short- and longer-term justice efforts by processing evidence, building analytical work product and case files, and sharing materials with competent jurisdictions whenever such justice opportunities present themselves.
As part of its institutional development and in the context of corresponding advances in its investigative and analytical capacities, the IIIM continues to refine and implement strategies to integrate effective approaches to address sexual and gender-based violence and broader gender issues, adopt a meaningful victim- and survivor-centred approach, and ensure robust organisational wellness.
Second Report – 3 August 2018 A/73/295
The IIIM outlines the progress it has made regarding operational and policy priorities, including in relation to the collection of information and evidence and the building of case files; support to national justice systems; the development of internal strategies, policies and standard operating procedures; engagement with stakeholders; and administrative and financial matters.
It also sets out the steps it has taken to address key challenges identified during the previous reporting period, including strategies to deal with the significant volume and varied types of documentation on crimes committed in the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as progress towards transitioning to regular budget funding.
First Report – 28 February 2018 A/72/764
The present report sets out the IIIM’s developing vision, the steps taken towards the implementation of its mandate, and the key challenges that it faces. While recognising the limitations of its mandate, the IIIM has identified opportunities to forge new approaches to international criminal justice and synergies with fact-finding bodies.
The report outlines the guiding principles and approaches to the work of the IIIM, such as upholding the independence and impartiality of the IIIM, keeping the length and the costs of cases manageable, recognising the important role of civil society, empowering affected communities, addressing sexual and gender based crimes and crimes against children, and facilitating the attainment of broader transitional justice objectives.
Sixth Report – 13 August 2020 A/75/311
The IIIM has continued to make steady progress in implementing its mandate, notwithstanding the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and the liquidity situation of the United Nations, which has resulted in a hiring freeze and the reduced allocation of non-post resources.
The IIIM has reprioritised its substantive and operational activities in line with the constraints imposed by external circumstances and has refined its technical capabilities to support extended periods of remote work.
Fourth Report – 22 August 2019 A/74/313
The IIIM continues to make progress on the implementation of all parts of its mandate.
To that end, the IIIM has significantly enlarged its evidence collection, as a result, in part, of the steadily increasing cooperation frameworks concluded with States, international organisations and civil society organisations.
The growing evidence collection has permitted the IIIM to further build its analytic and investigatory capacities.
It has facilitated the development of the IIIM’s structural investigation of core crimes, facilitated more expeditious responses to a growing number of requests for assistance from competent jurisdictions and contributed to case-file building.
In developing its survivor-centred approach, the IIIM is making sure that the experiences of Syrian society and affected communities at large are adequately reflected throughout its methodology and work.
Third Report – 13 February 2019 A/73/741
The report outlines the IIIM’s progress regarding all components of its mandate with an emphasis on the added value of the IIIM’s evidence collection, which functions as the central repository of information and evidence of the crimes allegedly committed in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The IIIM consolidates and preserves data, links evidentiary pieces to establish individual criminal responsibility, and carries out targeted investigations to strategically fill gaps in the evidence already gathered by other actors.
During the reporting period, the IIIM’s work led to the opening of two case files as well as increased cooperation with jurisdictions investigating some of the most serious crimes committed in the Syrian Arab Republic.
It has continued to develop and implement its inclusive justice approach with a focus on cross-cutting objectives, such as gender perspectives, a victim-centred approach and broader transitional justice considerations.