"By all means necessary" : individual and command responsibility for crimes against humanity in Syria / [Anna Neistat, Ole Solvang.]

• Map of Syria -- Summary -- Killings of Protesters and Bystanders -- Arbitrary Arrests, Torture, and Executions -- Denial of Medical Assistance -- Command Responsibility of High-Ranking Officers and Government Officials -- Repercussions for Disobeying Illegal Orders -- Recommendations -- Methodology -- I. Background -- Protests in Syria -- Deployment of Syria's Security Forces -- Defections from Armed Forces and Security Agencies -- II. Individual and Command Responsibility for Crimes against Humanity -- Killings of Protesters and Bystanders -- Standing orders -- Direct orders -- Direct participation in killings -- Arbitrary Detention and Torture -- Large-scale arbitrary arrests and looting -- Orders to beat and mistreat the detainees -- Torture at detention facilities -- Executions and deaths in custody -- Denial of Medical Assistance -- Command Responsibility of High-Ranking Officers and Government Officials -- III. Repercussions for Disobeying Illegal Orders -- Executions -- Detention and Torture -- Repercussions for Families of Defectors -- IV. Syrian Government Response -- V. International Response -- VI. Recommendations -- To the UN Security Council -- To All Countries -- To the UN General Assembly -- To the UN Human Rights Council and its Members -- To the Arab League -- To Turkey -- To India, Brazil, and South Africa -- To Russia and China -- To the Syrian Government -- Acknowledgments -- Appendix 1: Structure and Command of Armed Forces and Intelligence Agencies -- Armed Forces -- Presidential (Republican) Guard -- 3rd Division -- 4th Division -- 5th Division -- 9th Division -- 18th Division -- Special Forces -- Intelligence Agencies -- National Security Bureau -- Department of Military Intelligence (Shu?bat al-Mukhabarat al-?Askariyya) -- Air Force Intelligence Directorate (Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya) -- General Security Directorate (Idarat al-Amn al-Amm) -- Political Security Directorate (Idarat al-Amn al-Siyasi) -- Appendix 2: Military Terminology.

• Since the beginning of anti-government protests in March 2011, Syrian security forces have killed more than 4,000 protesters, injured many more, and arbitrarily arrested tens of thousands across the country, subjecting many of them to torture in detention. The security forces have committed these abuses as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population, which means they therefore constitute crimes against humanity. Based on interviews with more than 60 defectors from Syria's armed forces and intelligence agencies, this report focuses on the individual and command responsibility of Syrian military commanders and intelligence officials for these crimes. Human Rights Watch names commanders and officials who gave both direct and standing orders to use lethal force against the protestors as well as to unlawfully arrest, beat, and torture the detainees. The report concludes that senior military and civilian leadership, including President Bashar al-Assad and the heads of the intelligence agencies, bear command responsibility for violations committed by their subordinates to the extent that they knew or should have known of the abuses but failed to take action to stop them. Given Human Rights Watch's conclusion that crimes against humanity have been committed in Syria, the pervasive climate of impunity for security forces and pro-government militias, and the grave nature of many of their abuses, Human Rights Watch believes that the United Nations Security Council should refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

Ämnesord

Crimes against humanity  -- Syria. (LCSH)

Protest movements  -- Syria. (LCSH)

Human rights  -- Syria. (LCSH)

Politiskt våld  -- Syrien (sao)

Mänskliga rättigheter  -- Syrien (sao)

Political violence  -- Syria. (LCSH)

Criminal liability (International law)  (LCSH)

Syria  -- Politics and government. (LCSH)

Syria  -- Armed Forces. (LCSH)