Fadel Abdul Ghany

After twelve years of civil war and humanitarian suffering in Syria, the regime of President Bashar al-Assad remains entrenched. With no political solution to the conflict in sight, there is regional momentum toward normalization with the regime. In May, Syria was welcomed back into the Arab League. Several Arab nations have concluded that Assad is here to stay and that they require his cooperation to address challenges such as refugees and the illicit drug trade.

It is estimated that about 1.2 million Syrian citizens have been arrested and detained at some point since March 2011. During this period, an estimated number of 99 000 persons have been forcibly disappeared, while the Syrian Regime is responsible for about 84 000 of these cases (SNHR Report of 30 August of 2020, p. 8, 9). The crime of enforced disappearance, which is often accompanied by acts of torture, violates international law.

Art is an effective means of advocacy for victims of mass suffering, such as those in Syria. This is why the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has used visual art to seek truth and justice for Syria’s disappeared and tortured. Art plays a crucial role in supporting the goals of transitional justice in Syria, particularly truth-seeking, accountability, and reconciliation. Few justice mechanisms are as effective as art as a means of engaging with an entire community.