In the absence of action by the Security Council to ensure accountability for international crimes committed in the war in Syria, on 21 December 2016 the General Assembly created an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in investigations and prosecutions. In some ways, this move by the General Assembly was novel, while in others it built on established precedents. This articleexplains what the Mechanism is and how it will function, and considers its legal basis. The authors argue that the Mechanism offers concrete hope for justice in Syria, and represents a significant crystallization of an important new approach to international criminal justice.

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