Council of Europe Report Recognises CIJA’s Evidence Collection Practices
On 16 October 2025, the Council of Europe launched the report “Comparative Practices on the Use of Information Collected in Conflict Zones as Evidence in Criminal Proceedings.”
Read the full report here: https://edoc.coe.int/en/terrorism/12088-comparative-practices-on-the-use-of-information-collected-in-conflict-zones-as-evidence-in-criminal-proceedings.html
“Accountability for IS Crimes Against the Yezidis”
The Islamic State’s campaign against the Yazidi community – and other minorities – was driven by an ideology of extermination and enslavement which was controlled through a highly-organised and well-regulated bureaucracy. A new TOAEP policy brief by Stephanie Barbour and William Wiley explores how evidence gathered from IS’s own records by CIJA investigators has contributed to a growing number of prosecutions in Europe.
CIJA Evidence Cited in IIMM Report on Myanmar Military’s “Clearance Operations” Against Rohingya Population
On 29 September 2025, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) published a public summary of its report detailing the widespread destruction and dispossession of Rohingya land and property by the Myanmar military during its 2017 "clearance operations" in Rakhine state.
Read the IIMM Report Summary “The Destruction and Dispossession of Rohingya Land and Property During the 2017 Clearance Operations” here:
https://iimm.un.org/sites/default/files/2025/09/Land%20Report%20Public%20Summary%20EN.pdf
Read more about CIJA´s investigation here: https://cija-myanmar.org/
UK Minister visits CIJA’s Damascus Office
Damascus, 27 August 2025 — CIJA had the honour of welcoming the UK Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, to its Damascus office today, recognising over twelve years of dedicated work documenting atrocities committed during the conflict in Syria.
The Minister met with the two lead Syrian investigators Hassan Al Hariri and Husam Sarif who have worked tirelessly often at great personal risk and without public recognition for more than twelve years. Their efforts, along those of over 40 other Syrian CIJA investigators, have been central to preserving evidence of crimes, ensuring that truth and justice remain within reach for the Syrian people.
CIJA Leadership Meet with Syrian Minister of Justice
This week, CIJA leadership met with the Syrian Minister for Justice in Damascus. During the meeting, Minister Dr. Muzhir al-Wis and Dr William Wiley (Executive Director), Hasan Al Hariri and Husam Sharif (CIJA Lead Investigators in Syria) discussed strengthening cooperation on accountability and justice initiatives, taking a step forward to build trust and advance the rule of law.
Watch “Shadow Warriors”
For over a decade their names were not known, their faces never seen. Now the war is over, and they can speak. Hasan Al Hariri and Husam Sharif are the investigators that lead the CIJA teams, who for years worked in the shadows, securing critical evidence of Regime crimes. They worked silently and diligently, without recognition, because their safety and mission required it. In this short documentary, they speak for the first time about their work in the past and their hopes for the future.
Watch Shadow Warriors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VYRnUmwbD4
CIJA’s Syria Investigators Join Srebrenica Genocide Commemorations
CIJA Syria team took part in the official events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Shadow Warriors” Documentary Launch and Discussion in Sarajevo
On Wednesday, CIJA´s lead Syrian investigators, Hassan Al Hariri and Husam Sharif stepped out from the shadows to speak about their work securing critical evidence of the Assad Regime crimes in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Standing in front of an international network of journalists, artists, historians, researchers and activists gathered for the annual WARM festival commemorating war reporting, art and memory Hasan and Husam gave voice to the courage and dedication of over 40 of their colleagues who have spent years documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity inside Syria.
Delegation from The Commission for International Justice and Accountability Visits SANA
SANA, Damascus | A delegation from The Commission for International Justice and Accountability(CIJA), visited the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) and met with a number of its staff, and gave a presentation on the commission’s most prominent tasks, statistics, and documentation of crimes and violations perpetrated by the Assad ousted regime over the past years.
Read more:
BBC Today interview with Bill Wiley
BBC | Bill Wiley, Executive Director of the Commission for International Justice and Accountability, joined Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme to discuss the current security situation in Syria, aired on 01 May 2025.
Global Justice honors US Ambassador for War Crimes Stephen Rapp in Damascus
Sana News, Damascus | The Annual Global Justice Award conference was held Wednesday to honor honoring of US Ambassador for War Crimes Stephen Rapp.
“CIJA is proud to share that our Chair, Ambassador Stephen Rapp, has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to advancing justice in Syria. This honour reflects his unwavering commitment to accountability and exposing the former regime’s crimes against the Syrian people. Our heartfelt thanks to all of our partners and communities whose continued support makes this work possible. CIJA remains steadfast in our mission to help build a just and peaceful Syria grounded in the rule of law.”
Five jihadists found guilty of holding French journalists hostage
Sky News | Report on the conviction and life sentence of Mehdi Nemmouche, a terrorist linked to Daesh, by the Paris Special Court. Nemmouche and four others were convicted for kidnapping and holding four journalists hostage. CIJA played a vital role in securing this conviction by providing physical evidence and courtroom testimony.
Canadian-led team is building a case against al-Assad over his regime’s war crimes in Syria
Globe and Mail | Detailed interviews with "Adel", CIJA’s Chief Investigator in Syria and Bill Wiley on the opportunities to preserve evidence now available across the country, by Mark Mackinnon
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-syria-bashar-al-assad-regime-war-crimes-case/
1 million files: How one group is helping expose Syrian regime’s war crimes
Andalou Agency | “There is hope that those future accountability and justice processes will be happening in Syria” Nerma Jelacic spoke to Rabia Ali
Syria Confronts an Immense Challenge: Justice for Assad Regime Crimes
New York Times |Nerma Jelacic and Stephen Rapp spoke with Vivian Yee about the accountability choices facing Syria:
"Syrians will need time and many discussions to design a sound accountability process, said Nerma Jelacic of The Commission for International Justice and Accountability, which has been gathering evidence against Syrian regime figures for years."
Zij willen Assad vervolgen: ‘Zijn regime was vergelijkbaar met de goelags van Stalin’
Volkskrant | [Dutch] William Wiley spoke to Remco Anderson about the role of justice in ensuring accountability for the scale of the Syrian Regime’s crimes:
"Assad's Regime was comparable to Stalin's Gulags".
Investigators race to secure evidence of atrocities by Syria’s Assad regime
Financial Times | William Wiley spoke to the Financial Times about the challenges Syrians face in preserving evidence for overall accountability efforts:
“While it’s perfectly understandable that distressed families rushed in to try and find their loved ones, it’s going to make it that much harder for the overall mission of accountability if we lose key pieces of evidence”.
What lies ahead for Assad loyalists?
TRT World | Nerma Jelacic spoke to TRT World about the importance of preserving the huge amounts of evidence that is now available, in order that it may support future accountability efforts.
Syrerne vil have al-Assad og andre dømt. Men vejen til retfærdighed kan blive lang og trang
Information | [Danish + English] Legal experts and human rights groups fear that documents from prisons and institutions could be compromised by the media and victims’ relatives. Uncertainty looms over a forthcoming legal reckoning.
Will Assad be brought to justice?
BBC | Owen Bennet Jones spoke to Stephen Rapp, CIJA Commissioner about the prospects of Assad facing justice: "We should never say never. Milosevic, Taylor, Mladic & others thought they would escape justice & eventually countries surrendered these butchers to face justice".