In March 2011, Syrians staged a large demonstration demanding a democratic government. Syria’s regime reacted with mass arrests and lethal violence. The crisis soon escalated into an armed conflict involving local, regional, and international actors. After more than a decade of the Syrian government’s relentless attacks on civilians, over 500,000 Syrians have been killed, more than seven million people are internally displaced, and over 5.5 million more have fled the country. More than 100,000 people are estimated to have been arbitrarily detained where they have been subjected to torture, sexual violence, and murder. The Syrian regime has committed crimes against humanity and war crimes against its own people, and continues to commit mass atrocity crimes against civilians in Syria to this day.
For nearly 14 years, the Syrian people have suffered mass atrocity crimes as the Syrian regime attempted to silence their demands for a free, democratic, and peaceful Syria. While much about Syria’s future remains unknown, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rapid fall from power has provided a glimmer of hope for Syrians that their dreams for the country may be within reach. Read about courageous Syrians who, at great risk to themselves, documented mass atrocities and shared the truth with the world.
Twelve years after the start of the crisis, civilians in Syria continue to suffer mass atrocities committed by the Syrian government. Our March 2023 report details how we can protect civilians, support Syrian civil society, and hold perpetrators accountable.
PDF DownloadThe photos that a former Syrian military photographer smuggled out of the country in July 2014 and brought to the Museum provide evidence of the government’s crimes against its own people.
Statements on Syria
The Museum solemnly remembers the victims of mass atrocities in Syria and renews its call for more robust efforts to protect civilians from further bombardment, fully meet the humanitarian needs of displaced communities, and redouble efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement.
Using video, music, and testimony, this exhibition introduced Museum visitors to the conflict in Syria through one man’s story.
Our quantitative assessment, from the Early Warning Project, estimates the risk of a new mass killing in Syria.
This downloadable flyer provides background information on the crimes against humanity being committed against civilians in Syria and what you can do to help.
PDF DownloadThrough research, the Museum is committed to educating people about the crimes against humanity and war crimes being perpetrated by the Syrian government and advancing policy discussions.
Learn more about the ongoing atrocities in Syria and international responses to it.
This 2018 Bearing Witness report documents the ongoing mass atrocity risks in Syria.
Videos on the Crisis in Syria
Syria's Disappeared: The Case Against Assad is a documentary of personal testimonies of survivors of torture and families of the dead and missing.
Syria’s White Helmets: Saving Humanity tells the story of the White Helmets, unarmed volunteers who risk their lives to help Syrians in need.
#SaveSyria tells the story of life under siege in Syria in the summer of 2016 and chronicles the efforts of some of those trying to assist.
Syria’s Lost Generation highlights photojournalist Elena Dorfman’s photographs of Syrian refugees in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2013.
Syria: Idlib Under Threat raises awareness of the three million men, women, and children in Idlib province at risk of mass killing.
This Section
Find information on historical cases of genocide and other atrocities.