After 15 years. Paulo Pinheiro resigns as head of Syria Special Commission of Inquiry

The head of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, issued an official statement on the "X" platform, through which he announced the end of his duties in this position permanently as of June 1, 2026.

The Brazilian official attributed his decision to step down, which comes after 15 consecutive years of leadership of the UN committee, to health and personal emergencies, while expressing his pride and pride in standing by the Syrian people, raising the voices of the victims, and drawing direct international attention to the systematic violations witnessed in the country.

Pinheiro explained in his post that the past years have witnessed the documentation of widespread and egregious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed in Syria, noting that since 2011, hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been subjected to arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, displacement, and systematic killing.

He stressed that the commission has succeeded in documenting almost every category of war crimes and crimes against humanity stipulated in the Rome Statute, which has left deep effects and shocks on the structure of Syrian society and weakened the public's confidence in state institutions and the rule of law.

Lack of Accountability and the Highlights of the Strategic Committee

In his statement, the head of the International Independent Commission of Inquiry promised that the complete absence of full accountability and criminal justice throughout the war years was the main factor that allowed these crimes and abuses to continue unchecked.

The UN official recalled the main obstacles faced by the commission since its establishment by the UN Human Rights Council on August 22, 2011, represented by the lack of cooperation of the deemed Syrian regime, preventing it from entering Syrian territory, as well as the lack of adequate support from the Security Council, which prompted former Swiss committee member Carla Del Ponte to resign in 2017 in protest against the international position.

Foreseeing the future and dismantling the legacy of the defunct regime

Pinheiro stressed that Syria is now facing a new path that he described as "more hopeful" despite the enormous challenges, expressing his hope that the country will benefit from the experiences of the international transitional stages to rebuild legitimate institutions capable of integrity and transparency in every aspect of public life, political participation, and ensuring a just economic recovery for all.

Pinheiro called for the primary involvement of Syrian civil society as a vital actor that has developed its expertise throughout the years of war.

At the end of his farewell statement, the UN official stressed that dismantling decades of the rule of the former regime while working in parallel to prevent revenge violence, ensure the supremacy of human rights, accountability and inclusive governance will represent a difficult and long-term process that will require the concerted efforts of all Syrians.

He called on international actors and the international community to continue to support the aspirations of Syrians in building their new state, strengthen protection initiatives, and work hard to stop violations of state sovereignty and destabilising efforts, expressing his absolute confidence in the continuation of the Commission's staff in documenting facts and defending human rights to ensure a stable and just future.

Historical sequence

The commission first investigated the "Houla massacre" in Homs governorate in May 2012, which killed 108 people, including women and children, for which the commission said in its report that the former regime bears responsibility.

During its work, the ICRC investigated the use of chemical weapons against civilians and held the international coalition responsible for the deaths of civilians in various military strikes, before the committees resumed their field work on the ground.

The Human Rights Council has extended the mandate of the Commission several times to ensure the continuity of its work, most recently for an additional year under resolution 58-25 adopted in April 2025 to follow up on documented violations.