Damascus, Dec. 10 (SANA) Syria marked Human Rights Day for the first time in its history by hosting an annual celebration in Damascus, commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on December 10, 1948, as a global commitment to protecting human dignity.
The occasion follows decades of violations under the defunct regime, including massacres in Hama, Aleppo, and Tadmor Prison, and the enforced disappearance of tens of thousands. Wide-scale abuses after the 2011 uprising resulted in over one million martyrs, hundreds of thousands of detainees and missing persons, and millions of displaced people.
After Syria’s liberation on December 8, 2024, the country began uncovering the full extent of crimes committed by the deposed regime, from the horrors of Saydnaya Prison to the mass graves now revealed.
The National Commission for Transitional Justice was established by presidential decree on May 17, 2025, alongside the Syrian National Commission for Missing Persons (NCMP). These steps ran in parallel with reforms to the judiciary and Internal Security Forces to uphold citizens’ rights and dignity.
One year after victory, Syrians look ahead to a future of stability, safeguarded rights, and fair laws that ensure equality and human dignity.
The Human Rights Day celebration at the Conference Palace in Damascus brought together ministers, ambassadors, UN officials, and civil society representatives.
Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani said Syria celebrates both Liberation Day and Human Rights Day, affirming the country’s return as a state that protects human dignity, after the day had previously highlighted the crimes of the defunct regime.
OHCHR official Mohamed al-Nsour noted that the gathering in Damascus was made possible by the sacrifices of the Syrian people and the government’s commitment to human rights. Deputy High Commissioner Nada al-Nashif described the occasion as a new beginning for human rights in Syria.
