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“It is an important message for the rest of the tyrants of this world,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a news conference.
The Dutch government confirmed that it bases its approach on the United Nations Convention against Torture, accusing Damascus of using poison gas in the crimes it has committed against its people.
“The Assad regime has committed horrible crimes time and time again. The evidence is overwhelming. There must be consequences,” said a statement from Foreign Minister Steve Block.
“We have indications that we could have the support of other countries,” he added.
The Dutch authorities said they decided to act, after using the veto to abandon a project to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, and with impunity for years.
“The Assad regime did not hesitate to violently repress its people, resorting to torture, chemical weapons and bombing of hospitals,” said the Dutch foreign minister.
He added that “justice must be done to the victims of these serious crimes and we seek to achieve this goal by calling for those responsible to be held accountable.”
The Dutch authorities said that they asked Damascus, through a diplomatic note, to stop its violations of the United Nations Convention against Torture and to enter into negotiations.
In the event that the two countries are unable to resolve the dispute between them, the case may be referred to arbitration. As for “if it is not possible to reach an agreement on this issue, the Netherlands will file a lawsuit before an international court.”
The Netherlands is more likely to turn to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the highest judicial body of the United Nations, empowered to hear disputes between member states of the United Nations and violations of UN agreements .
Damascus did not immediately respond.
Syria signed the United Nations Convention against Torture in 2004.
A statement from the London-based international law firm Guernica 37 Chambers stated that the office was assisting the Dutch government in gathering evidence and testimonies from Syrian victims.
The statement added that “the step taken by the Netherlands is very important and could provide victims with a real opportunity to access truth, justice and accountability at the international level.”
In turn, “Human Rights Watch” considered that the Netherlands “is defending countless victims” of the Syrian regime.
The deputy director of the organization’s international justice program, Belkis Jarrah, said: “All parties, especially governments, who have been horrified by the outbreak of documented brutality in Syria, should welcome this step and explore similar ways of impose the rule of law. “
