Statement of the Caesar Files for Justice Organization Concerning the Joint Investigation Entitled ‘The Damascus Files

To the families of Syrian victims, and to all those following the issue of the missing and the violations committed in Syria,

Like the vast majority of Syrians, we have followed the manner in which the joint investigation “The Damascus Files”—produced by approximately twenty-four media outlets—was presented, and which seeks to expose the brutal methods by which the Bashar al-Assad regime carried out the killing of Syrian men and women.

At the outset, we affirm our appreciation for any media effort intended to support the families of victims. We do not question the intentions of many media organizations striving to shed light on the suffering of Syrians. Nevertheless, it was essential—and a requirement of professional ethics—that such efforts take into account the exceptional sensitivity of the Syrian context, particularly in light of the continued impunity enjoyed by those responsible for these crimes; the fact that the Syrian Interim Government possesses full information concerning the victims; and the reality that international institutions are addressing this file through independent human-rights-based methodologies that safeguard the dignity of victims and the rights and emotions of their families, as well as those of Syrians at large.

Given these circumstances, it would have been more appropriate to coordinate efforts with national institutions and competent international bodies to ensure the proper disclosure of the fate of victims and to notify their families in a dignified and responsible manner, consistent with established human rights and humanitarian standards.

The Caesar Files for Justice Organization continues its work today in cooperation with local and international partners to uncover the fate of the victims—building upon efforts dating back to its establishment in 2022 by the Caesar Files team, which had previously worked on the initial leaked file between 2011 and 2013 as well as on additional files aimed at establishing the Syrian regime’s responsibility for systematic crimes perpetrated to kill and displace Syrians, in pursuit of personal, direct, and at times international interests.

It is important to clarify that the Caesar Files team has never, at any stage, undertaken the leak of photos of victims who died under torture. What was leaked at that time was intended to mark the end of work on the file; however, driven by national and humanitarian motives, the team chose to continue rather than stop—adhering to a methodology grounded in respect for the dignity of victims and their families.

We reaffirm that we continue to operate in the same manner recognized by the Syrian public and aligned with the spirit of its great revolution—one that we do not believe has ended, for a revolution is a social condition whose aims remain unfulfilled.

As Bashar al-Assad and all those responsible for these crimes continue to evade accountability—and as they, including several businessmen who for fourteen years have stood by the regime in its killing of Syrians, continue to enjoy countless privileges—our conviction in our moral and legal duty toward victims and their families only deepens.

The team has endured difficult years, often marked by clear limitations in resources—limitations well known to Syrians familiar with our long-standing work. Nonetheless, these periods provided a space to rebuild a methodology that upholds the highest levels of professionalism and respect. Our work has proceeded quietly and responsibly for fourteen years, and continues to this day.

Throughout all stages of our work, the team has never hesitated to communicate with families of victims and respond to their inquiries using available tools, relying on meticulous visual review despite the immense psychological toll of daily exposure to images and information. Any information obtained was shared directly with families, without intermediaries, following a consistent and transparent methodology.

We have not retained detailed information regarding victims and their families for the purpose of institutional documentation, as our primary objective has always been—and remains—to focus on identifying those responsible for these clear and well-established crimes, rather than building a long-term archival system of torture victims after verifying the authenticity of the images and associated files.

From the outset, the team adopted a methodology aimed at preventing psychological harm to Syrians, fully aware that the publication of any information entails serious responsibility. We continued to rely on simple verification tools due to limited resources and the absence of advanced mechanisms available to international organizations.

The team reiterates its firm position:

We oppose any media handling of materials or evidence related to victims in a manner that harms their dignity or the feelings of their families. We further affirm that the Syrian Interim Government—regardless of its available resources—bears political and moral responsibility for any harm caused to families due to mismanagement of these files. It must shoulder its responsibilities and refrain from treating Syrians according to the principle of “time will tell,” for it is not a civil society organization but a governing authority responsible for securing justice for victims and clarifying the fate of the disappeared.

Based on the above, we warn that any unregulated media use of files that have left Syria may undermine their legal value and constitute a continuing violation of the emotions, rights, and dignity of victims’ families.

Believing in the importance of sustainable archiving and the preservation of evidence, the team continues to handle all available materials with respect and professionalism and works diligently, in close cooperation with victims’ families and United Nations bodies, to uncover the truth.

Witness protection is an ethical duty that the team upholds, even in cases where such protection is not publicly announced, as some witnesses may not fully understand the magnitude of the risks they face.

Moreover, the delay of the Interim Government in undertaking the protection of evidence has increased the burden on civil society—when it was expected to provide an institutional framework that would relieve this burden and safeguard victims and their families.

By contrast, the work of missing-persons mechanisms and transitional-justice bodies remains limited by temporal and geographic constraints and by specific categories of victims, whereas civil society continues to play its vital role in protecting rights, documenting violations, and seeking to uncover the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared.

Finally, given the multiplicity of actors involved in crimes against Syrians and civilians, the role of civil society remains indispensable in supporting victims’ rights, working to determine their fate, and protecting their families.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to this cause, and our determination to act with responsibility, respect, and a rights-based methodology that preserves the dignity of victims and their families—free from any irresponsible media engagement—and in line with our ethical and humanitarian duty toward the Syrian people.