Mizan Organization Recovers the “Hippocrates” File and Hands Over Its Original Documents to the National Commission for the Missing in Syria
Damascus – 18 February 2026
Mizan Organization announced that it has recovered (448) highly significant and sensitive original documents from the United Nations’ International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and handed them over to the National Commission for the Missing in Syria, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. This step constitutes an unprecedented precedent in the recovery of national documents related to crimes of enforced disappearance and unlawful burial.
The documents pertain to what is known as the “Hippocrates” file, which contains data concerning the burial of 5,210 individuals believed to have been killed extrajudicially or under torture during their arbitrary detention in security, military, and medical facilities affiliated with the former regime, during the years 2012 – 2013 – 2014. This step represents an advanced practical milestone in the paths of truth and justice, and a legal and humanitarian lever to uncover the fate of more than 5,000 people buried in mass or secret graves.
Mizan affirmed that the recovery followed a lengthy process of verification and tracing the chain of custody, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding previously concluded with the IIIM, which guarantees the right to analyze and use the documents with prior consent, while ensuring the organization’s right to recover them.
The organization also clarified that it had previously shared a copy of the documents with international judicial authorities in support of accountability efforts, and that it stands ready to provide additional information in its possession, including witness testimonies and technical analyses, to the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the competent judicial authorities in Syria.
Mizan called upon various international governmental and non-governmental committees and organizations to share the documents in their possession with the independent national bodies and the Syrian judiciary, considering them Syrian national property and an inherent right of the victims, in a manner that strengthens the right to truth, reparation, and the prevention of impunity.
The organization expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the victims, commending the role of the witnesses and Syrian figures who safeguarded the documents, as well as the role of the IIIM in preserving and returning them.
Full Press Statement
Press Statement on the Precedent of Recovering the “Hippocrates” File
Damascus – 18 / 2 / 2026
On 4 / 10 / 2025 – in a step considered the first of its kind – Mizan Organization recovered (448) highly significant and sensitive original documents from the United Nations’ International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and handed them over to the National Commission for the Missing in Syria, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
The process of receiving and transferring these documents constitutes a practical step in the paths of truth and justice to open the file of thousands of victims who are missing, died under torture, or were killed extrajudicially, and to uncover the fate of more than 5,000 people who were buried in mass or secret graves during the years 2012 – 2013 – 2014.
Four years ago, Mizan Organization reviewed images of documents issued by governmental entities affiliated with the former regime, which revealed patterns of individual and mass burials of 5,210 people, who are believed to have been killed extrajudicially or under torture during their arbitrary detention in security, military, or medical facilities.
Mizan analyzed the images of the documents and reached preliminary conclusions suggesting the involvement of official civilian institutions in crimes of enforced disappearance, unlawful burial, and covering up acts of arbitrary detention and systematic killing under torture.
Amid the instability of Syrian opposition institutions at the time, and in order to prevent politicization of the file and ensure the protection of the documents, Mizan shared a copy with the IIIM as the UN-mandated body authorized to preserve and analyze evidence.
The IIIM assessed that the documents could constitute highly significant and sensitive criminal evidence, and that verifying their authenticity would require examining the age and characteristics of the paper, ink, stamps, and signatures. To that end, Mizan embarked on a journey to locate the original copies and trace the chain of custody. It cooperated in this effort with the defected Brigadier General Fateh Hassoun. After Mizan was struck by his death in the 2023 Antakya earthquake, his wife, Mrs. Rania Hassoun, fulfilled his will and delivered the original copy of the documents into the hands of Mr. Yasser Al-Farhan, the former Executive Director of Mizan, who deposited them in January 2024 with the IIIM pursuant to a memorandum of understanding concluded between the two parties. The memorandum includes the Mechanism’s right to analyze and use the documents with Mizan’s prior consent, and Mizan’s right to obtain a copy of the analysis and to recover the original documents should it deem it necessary.
Mizan followed the chain of custody and heard testimonies from several of its parties, including the first holder. For the purpose of completing the inquiry and for other reasons, the announcement of this statement was postponed until this date.
Mizan indicates that, in cooperation with the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, it met in the city of Karlsruhe with the Public Prosecutor of the War Crimes Unit of the Federal Republic of Germany and provided him with a copy of the documents in order to support accountability efforts in a case pending before him.
While Mizan has handed over the original copy of the documents to the National Commission for the Missing in Syria, it affirms its willingness to share additional information in its possession with the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the competent judicial authorities in Syria, including witness testimonies, Mizan’s analysis of the nature of the documents, and its research into the responsibilities of the parties believed to be involved.
As Mizan looks forward to effective engagement by the National Commission for the Missing with the families of the victims in order to uncover the fate of their loved ones and provide psychological and moral support to them, and to cooperation with the Ministry of Interior to protect the identified graves, Mizan recommends sharing the file with the National Commission for Transitional Justice to strengthen the right to truth, reparation, and institutional reform, as well as with the Public Prosecutor of the Republic to examine the individual responsibility of the perpetrators and commanders believed to have been involved in crimes against humanity during their service in the former regime’s civilian, security, and military institutions, and to prosecute, investigate, and refer those against whom charges are decided to fair trials.
Mizan recommends that the IIIM, IIMP, COI, OHCHR, the remaining international governmental committees and organizations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, SJAC, the ICRC, ICMP, other international non-governmental organizations, and all Syrian and non-Syrian human rights organizations share the files and documents in their possession with the independent national bodies in Syria and with the Syrian judiciary, considering these documents as Syrian national property and as part of the rights of the victims, in order to contribute practically to the paths of truth and justice and prevent those involved from evading accountability.
Mizan extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and appreciates the noble role of the witnesses and Syrian figures who safeguarded the documents, as well as the IIIM, which contributed to preserving and returning them.
