Judges at the World Court on Thursday directed Syria to implement measures preventing torture, as part of emergency actions in a case jointly filed by the Netherlands and Canada at the top U.N. tribunal. Presiding judge Joan Donoghue emphasized that Syria must take all necessary steps to prevent acts of torture and ensure that its officials or those under its control refrain from committing such acts.
The 15-judge panel also mandated that Syria safeguard any potential evidence related to torture allegations, including medical reports and death records. Notably, Syria abstained from participating in the court’s hearings and was absent during the ruling. This case marks the first instance of an international court examining alleged abuses occurring in Syria over the 12-year conflict.
The case which was Initiated by the Netherlands and Canada in June, accuses Syria of violating a U.N. anti-torture convention by subjecting tens of thousands of individuals, many held in Syria’s extensive detention system, to abuse. Despite Syria’s denial of torture and extrajudicial killings, the ICJ’s emergency measures aim to prevent further deterioration while the court deliberates on the main claim, which may take several years.
While the ICJ lacks enforcement authority, it can issue orders to address immediate concerns. No specific date has been set for hearings in the main case, which focuses on Syria’s alleged state responsibility for torture. Although some Syrian officials have faced prosecution for torture in universal jurisdiction cases, particularly in Germany, these cases revolve around individual criminal responsibility.
