UN Investigators Say to Share Names of Syria War Crimes Suspects

UN war crimes investigators for Syria said today that they were ready to share names and details from their secret lists of suspects with any prosecution authorities preparing cases.

The move could pave the way for perpetrators of killings, torture and other atrocities on all sides to be brought to account. The aim is to sidestep the UN Security Council, where Russia and China have prevented the issue being sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution.

Paulo Pinheiro, chairman of the United Nations' commission of inquiry, urged national authorities to contact the independent investigators who have compiled five confidential lists over nearly four years.

Pinheiro and his team, which includes former UN war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte, said last month they planned to publish names of suspects and push for new ways to bring them to justice, in a radical change of strategy.

But it stopped short today of releasing the lists.

"We can best aid the pursuit of justice at this time through targeted disclosure. We will share names and information about specific alleged perpetrators with state prosecution authorities that are preparing cases to be heard before a competent and impartial judiciary," Pinheiro told theHuman Rights Council.

FRUSTRATION

More than 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which began in 2011 with protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad and has driven 3.9 million Syrians to flee their shattered homeland.

Pinheiro said the investigators would continue sharing information from "our extensive database" to aid domestic investigations and prosecutions. Some countries also have "universal jurisdiction", which means they can prosecute international crimes committed by foreign nationals abroad.

"We have gathered a lot of evidence but there is no follow-up. This is a huge frustration," del Ponte told Swiss television on Monday night. "It's high time that we bring justice for victims."

The investigators say their lists, kept in a UN safe, include military and security commanders and commanders of insurgent groups. They are based on their interviews with hundreds of victims and witnesses.

Syria's ambassador Hussam Edin Aala rejected the investigators' latest findings and their "biased and selective approach" which he said ignored "the crimes of terrorist groups such as Nusra Front".

"The report remains silent as to the responsibility of Turkey in allowing these terrorists to enter Syria through its borders, and its responsibility in smuggling stolen Syrian oil in order to sell it and fund terrorist groups."