20.01.2025 14:03
The President of Istanbul Bar Association No. 2, Attorney Yasin Şamlı, made a statement regarding their visit to Syria. Şamlı noted that they held high-level meetings and expressed that they witnessed an entire country being destroyed and devastated.
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Syria is trying to recover after the end of the 61-year Baath regime and the escape of Bashar al-Assad from the country.
İstanbul Bar Association No. 2 President Av. Yasin Şamlı announced that they visited Syria, which has entered a new era after Assad, last week. Stating that they met with government officials, Şamlı expressed that they had productive consultations.
SUPPORT STATEMENT
Şamlı noted that they had the opportunity to observe the destruction caused by the 14-year-long war in the region, and that they would provide all support as a legal institution in the prosecution of perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity.
In a statement he made on social media regarding the issue, Şamlı said:
"As the Istanbul Bar Association No. 2, we had important contacts with government officials during our visit to Syria from January 13 to 18. We met with the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Family, the Governor of Damascus, and the President of the Supreme Judiciary. We had productive consultations on projects we can carry out together in the new era.
"WE SAW THAT THE COUNTRY WAS DEVASTATED"
We had the opportunity to observe the destruction caused by the 14-year-long war in the region. We saw that even places of worship and cemeteries were bombed, and an entire country was destroyed and devastated, especially in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Idlib, and Damascus.
In our inspections at Sednaya and the Palestinian Prison, we saw that crimes against humanity were committed and unimaginable tortures were inflicted. We will provide all our support as a legal institution in the prosecution of perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity. The only place where the prosecution will take place is Syria. Because the crime was committed in Syria, against Syrians.
The details of the activities and meetings conducted during our Bar Association's visit will be shared in the coming days. Our struggle for rights and justice will continue across the world."
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