The Syrian Future Movement is following with great interest and concern the joint report issued by three human rights organizations on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, which revealed the continued practice of enforced disappearances in Syria, with more than 181,000 cases remaining unsolved. The report emphasizes that this violation “will continue as long as the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person remain unknown,” and that the fall of the former regime has not led to the closure of this file.
The Syrian Future Movement considers these figures an open wound for the nation, affecting nearly every Syrian family. According to data from the Syrian Network for Human Rights, at least 181,312 people, including 5,332 children and 9,201 women, remain under arbitrary arrest or enforced disappearance from March 2011 to August 2016. These figures align with estimates from the Independent Foundation for Missing Persons in Syria, which range between 130,000 and 300,000 people, while other estimates suggest the number may exceed 200,000.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that the fall of the former regime was not enough to close the file on enforced disappearances, because this file cannot be closed by toppling a regime, but rather by uncovering the whole truth, providing justice for the families, and holding those responsible accountable.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates that it previously affirmed in its statement published on its official website, titled “The Missing Persons File in Syria and the Families’ Right to Know the Truth,” dated July 24, 2026, that “the issue of the missing is a national issue par excellence, touching the conscience of the entire Syrian society,” and that “building the new Syria cannot be complete without uncovering the truth, achieving justice for the victims, and enabling families to learn the fate of their loved ones.”
The Syrian Future Movement also recalls its statement published on February 19, 2026, titled “Preparing a Procedural Guide and a Comprehensive Map of the Parties Concerned with the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons File,” in which it welcomed the organizational steps announced by the National Commission for the Missing, but stressed that “the file of the missing and forcibly disappeared represents one of the greatest open wounds of the nation,” and that documented estimates range between 177,000 and 181,000 forcibly disappeared persons, with broader estimates exceeding 300,000 if previous periods are taken into account.
However, the Syrian Future Movement believes that the persistence of these figures, despite more than a year having passed since the fall of the regime, raises fundamental questions about the seriousness of the truth-seeking process:
First: The absence of a unified and effective national mechanism – The Syrian Future Movement observes that the efforts made so far, while important, remain fragmented among the National Commission for the Missing, the Independent Foundation, and human rights organizations, without a unified and secure national database that compiles all cases and allows families to track the fate of their loved ones.
The Syrian Future Movement asks: How long will families have to wait before seeing a genuine national database? And how many files will remain pending between different entities?
Second: The need to protect archives and evidence – The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that uncovering the fate of the missing requires the immediate protection of all archives, records, and documents related to detainees and missing persons, preventing any tampering or destruction, and subjecting them to professional preservation and documentation.
The Syrian Future Movement reminds everyone that every day that passes without protecting these documents increases the risk of losing potentially crucial evidence in revealing the truth.
Third: Lack of Institutional Support for Families – The Syrian Future Movement reports that 96% of families of missing persons in Syria receive no institutional support, and that disappearances have led to a loss of income for 86% of families, psychological distress for 72%, and children dropping out of school in 20% of cases.
The Syrian Future Movement considers these figures to reveal a humanitarian catastrophe that extends beyond the missing person to affect their entire family, necessitating urgent psychological, social, and legal support programs.
Fourth: The Need for Accountability – The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that uncovering the fate of the disappeared will not be complete without holding those responsible for enforced disappearances accountable, including leaders and perpetrators, bringing them to justice, and ensuring they do not escape punishment. The Syrian Future Movement reiterates that “torture leading to death, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings are crimes against humanity that do not have a statute of limitations,” as affirmed in its statement published on December 3, 2025.
Based on its national responsibility, the Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:
First: Expediting the establishment of a unified and secure national database that compiles all cases of missing and forcibly disappeared persons, integrates with DNA databases, and allows families to register and track their cases electronically.
Second: Protecting all archives and documents related to missing persons by subjecting them to professional preservation and documentation, preventing any tampering or destruction, and making them available to judicial and investigative authorities. This will ensure the preservation of evidence that could reveal the fate of thousands of Syrians.
Third: Launching psychological, social, and legal support programs for families by providing financial assistance to families who have lost their breadwinner, psychological care for those who need it, legal aid to pursue their children’s cases, and involving families in the search and truth-seeking process.
Fourth: Strengthening cooperation with the Independent Institution for Missing Persons and international mechanisms by facilitating their access to records, mass graves, and evidence, and ensuring their participation in search and identification efforts, in a manner that preserves national sovereignty and guarantees the families’ right to know the truth.
Fifth: Holding those responsible for enforced disappearances accountable and ensuring they do not escape punishment by referring their cases to the competent judiciary, guaranteeing fair and transparent trials, and compensating victims and their families for the harm they have suffered.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates that the issue of missing persons is the core of transitional justice and the foundation of national reconciliation.
It reminds us that every day that passes without revealing the fate of the missing is a day on which families pay a new price in pain and waiting, and that the truth is the inherent right of the victims and their families, not a favor from anyone.
The Movement affirms The Syrian Future Movement believes that building a new Syria cannot be complete without uncovering the truth, providing justice for the victims, and holding those responsible accountable. The continued enforced disappearances, with their reported figures, are a stain on humanity and proof that the transitional process still requires bold and genuine steps.
For its part, the Syrian Future Movement will remain committed to supporting all efforts that promote truth and justice, criticizing all shortcomings, and monitoring all progress on the ground, striving for a new Syria where every citizen knows the fate of their loved ones and every victim receives justice.
