The United Nations supports the establishment of an independent institution to determine the fate of missing persons in Syria

ARK News… The United Nations expressed its support for the establishment of an independent international institution to determine the fate of missing persons in Syria, where there are hundreds of thousands of forcibly disappeared people, most of whom are in Assad’s prisons.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said during a briefing at a session of the Assembly that the conflict in Syria is an open wound for millions of Syrians, including families who long for the return of their missing loved ones, and to obtain answers about what happened to them.

The High Commissioner described the decision to establish the independent institution as a “significant step forward,” noting that the institution will help alleviate the suffering of people on all sides, by meeting their deep need to know what happened to their loved ones.

He stressed that this is one of the basic conditions for supporting reconciliation, justice and lasting peace for all the Syrian people. Adding that the independent institution will support all victims; “It will search for missing persons from all sides – regardless of their political affiliation, and why or when they disappeared.”

He went on to say: "This is work that transcends politics. It can build confidence among Syrians and reach the heart of the principle of human solidarity and our unity in the face of suffering."

Volker Türk emphasized ensuring that the independent institution was accessible to people in many different geographical locations.

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