The Syrian authorities must ensure that the right to housing of residents of earthquake-affected residential buildings in Aleppo are guaranteed, Amnesty International said today, amid concerns about unlawful demolitions of buildings deemed unsafe as a result of the 6 February earthquakes and reports of bureaucratic obstacles for those seeking to repair their damaged homes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral months have passed since thousands of people in Aleppo lost their homes or suffered damage to the buildings they live in, during the earthquakes. We are concerned that the manner in which building-safety measures are being carried out may be adding to the difficulties faced by thousands of earthquake survivors,\u201d said Diana Semaan, Amnesty International\u2019s Syria researcher.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Syrian authorities should focus their efforts on respecting people\u2019s right to adequate housing. Demolishing residential buildings without proper explanation or due process is a violation of international human rights law and standards. The authorities have an obligation to consult with residents and provide reasonable notice and financial compensation or alternative housing to ensure that no one is rendered homeless, prior to conducting demolitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Demolishing residential buildings without proper explanation or due process is a violation of international human rights law and standards.<\/p>\n

Diana Semaan, Amnesty International\u2019s Syria researcher<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Between April 2023 and July 2023, Amnesty International interviewed three humanitarian workers who visited Aleppo after the earthquakes, as well as six residents living in Aleppo city, and reviewed media articles and UN reports. Amnesty International\u2019s Crisis Evidence Lab also verified videos of demolitions in Aleppo city.<\/p>\n

Even before the earthquakes, Aleppo had suffered widespread damage due to the Syrian and Russian forces\u2019 unlawful bombing campaign between 2012 and 2016. In 2016, the Syrian government took control of eastern Aleppo, a formerly opposition-held area of the city, after subjecting tens of thousands of civilians to siege and bombardment, leading to their forcible displacement to other opposition-held areas in northern Syria.<\/p>\n

Concerns about unlawful demolitions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On 20 February 2023, the governor of Aleppo stated that 13,000 families were impacted by the earthquakes. He added that 11,551 buildings were inspected, after which 220 were demolished, citing public safety reasons, while 303 were awaiting demolition.<\/p>\n

In an interview with a government-affiliated media outlet, an engineer explained that the authorities will immediately demolish a building after an engineering committee, formed by the authorities to assess the structural safety of buildings, labels it \u201cred\u201d, which means it presents a danger to public safety and, as a result, people are asked to evacuate.<\/p>\n

However, Amnesty International has received information from residents and humanitarian workers that these assessments may not be meticulously carried out and that the demolitions are being carried out in the absence of due process requirements and safeguards against forced evictions as per international human rights standards.<\/p>\n

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