International Bar Association urge UN to act ‘without consent’ from Damascus

Mesop 29.4.2014 – The International Bar Association published an open letter to the United Nations Monday urging humanitarian agencies to defy restrictions placed upon them by the Syrian government and move into rebel-held territory even “without consent” from Damascus.


The letter, signed by 37 prominent international lawyers, argues that human rights violations by pro- and anti-Assad forces are causing massive suffering inside Syria: “This appalling situation has been compounded by an overly cautious interpretation of international humanitarian law, which has held UN agencies back from delivering humanitarian aid across borders.”

The letter goes on to outline the legal argument for humanitarian agencies staging operations without government consent, concluding that “there is no legal barrier to the UN directly undertaking cross-border humanitarian operations and supporting NGOs to undertake them as well.” The US Agency for International Development estimates that 9.3 million Syrians are currently in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, among them 6.5 internally displaced persons.