Syrian Human Rights Committee

  • Home
  • Multimedia
    • Photo gallery
    • Video
  • Library
    • Books
    • Documents
    • Articles & studies
  • SHRC’s Reports
    • News
    • Daily reports
    • Annual Report
    • Special reports
    • Statements
  • SHRC
    • About us
    • Contact us
  • Other statements & reports
    • Syrian statements & reports
    • International reports
  • عربي
You are here: Home / Other statements & reports / International reports / HRW: Thousands of Houses Unlawfully Razed

HRW: Thousands of Houses Unlawfully Razed

31-January-2014 By shrc_admin

output_8kyGKe

A comparison showing before and after the demolition of the buildings. (Press to view)

Satellite imagery, witness statements, and video and photographic evidence show that Syrian authorities deliberately and unlawfully demolished thousands of residential buildings in Damascus and Hama in 2012 and 2013, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 38-page report, “Razed to the Ground: Syria’s Unlawful Neighborhood Demolitions in 2012-2013,” documents seven cases of large-scale demolitions with explosives and bulldozers that violated the laws of war. The demolitions either served no necessary military purpose and appeared to intentionally punish the civilian population or caused disproportionate harm to civilians, Human Rights Watch found.

“Wiping entire neighborhoods off the map is not a legitimate tactic of war,” said Ole Solvang, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. “These unlawful demolitions are the latest additions to a long list of crimes committed by the Syrian government.”

The Syrian government, as part of its Geneva II negotiations, should make a commitment to immediately end demolitions that violate international law and to compensate and provide alternative housing to the victims, Human Rights Watch said. The United Nations Security Council should refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The seven cases Human Rights Watch documented took place between July 2012 and July 2013 in the following areas: the Masha` al-Arb`een and Wadi al-Jouz neighborhoods in Hama, and the Qaboun, Tadamoun, Barzeh, Mezzeh military airport, and Harran Al-`Awamid neighborhoods in and near Damascus.

Filed Under: International reports, Other statements & reports Tagged With: demolitions, HRW, Human Rights Watch, syria

Gallery

Old Aleppo 20-7-2013 hama-road-hums19-7-2013 bosr-alhareer-18-7-2013 dara-albalad-17-7-2013 1002827_602169013151362_370807081_n 943671_608722362496027_1296916348_n Douma_by_Abd_Doumany 20120811 Douma_by_Abd_Doumany mosque in Hosh Al-Fara Town 25-6-2015

Join Our Newsletter

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

Facebook

VIDEO LIBRARY

In memory of Al-Bayda massacre

3-May-2020

Syrian troops deliberately shoot elderly women

22-February-2020

The Daily Report of Victims of Human Rights Violations in Syria 5-5-2019

6-May-2019

Copyright © 1997–2022 · Syrian Human Rights Committee · All rights reserved.