Syrians across all 14 provinces are demanding transitional justice following Bashar al-Assad's regime collapse, viewing it as essential for civil peace. Since February 13, 2025, preparatory sessions for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference have unanimously emphasized accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Nearly half a million Syrians were killed through torture, executions, and chemical attacks, while the Syrian Network for Human Rights documents over 136,000 forcibly disappeared since 2011 — only 24,200 released after liberation.

Transitional justice traditionally rests on four pillars: truth-seeking, prosecution, victim compensation, and institutional reform. UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen urged new authorities to avoid "a policy of revenge and retribution" and establish a comprehensive framework. Experts are studying international models to design a Syrian-specific approach that balances justice with reconciliation, addressing mass graves, secret detention sites, and the fate of tens of thousands still missing.

The process must be fair and not vengeance-driven, targeting perpetrators regardless of affiliation — military, political, media, or economic figures. Syrians seek to end impunity while preventing renewed civil strife, ensuring the horrors of Assad's era are never repeated through elected constitutional bodies enacting transitional justice laws.