Syrian regime monitored refugees in 17 countries, says rights group

DARAMSUQ — The Syrian regime has not only harassed its citizens inside Syria but has also monitored Syrian refugees who fled the war in neighboring countries and Europe, according to a report by the Syrian Justice and Accountability Center.

The report reveals that the Syrian regime has a well-developed monitoring network, which includes intelligence services and Syrian embassies in 17 countries. The Center’s analysis was based on thousands of copies of documents obtained from government facilities in several Syrian governorates.

While the latest report is not the first of its kind, the Center’s new findings confirm previously suspected practices. The documents obtained by the Center show that external monitoring was systematically carried out through diplomatic missions affiliated with the Syrian government, not only in countries with large numbers of expatriates and refugees, but worldwide.

The Center warns that the normalization of some Arab and foreign countries with the Syrian regime would provide a means to tighten the regime’s grip on Syrian refugees abroad. It also warns of the danger of reopening Syrian embassies abroad, which creates obstacles to prosecutions under universal jurisdiction.

The report highlights the Syrian regime’s ongoing efforts to suppress opposition and silence those who speak out against its actions, both inside and outside the country. It underscores the importance of continued international pressure to hold the Syrian regime accountable for its crimes and to ensure the protection of Syrian refugees worldwide.