Syria on Tuesday boycotted a hearing before the highest court of the United Nations during which the Netherlands and Canada accused Damascus of maintaining for years a campaign of “institutionalized” torture against its own people.

The hearing revolved around a request from the Netherlands and Canada that judges impose an order, known as interim measures, on Syria to immediately end torture in an effort to protect potential victims as the trial proceeds.

“Every day counts,” said René Lefeber, a lawyer for the Dutch government.

“The persistent and recurring practice of torture in Syria only highlights the clear threats to life and physical and psychological integrity,” Lefeber said.

The conflict in Syria began in March 2011 with peaceful protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, but quickly turned into an open civil war following the brutal repression of protesters. The conflict tilted in favor of Assad and against rebel groups in 2015, when Syria received key military support from Russia, supplemented by aid from Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Canadian government lawyer Teresa Crokett stressed the urgency of their request, saying: “Syria has systematically committed acts of torture and subjected its population to other forms of massive mistreatment. Since 2011, tens of thousands of people have died in detention in Syria.

“If limits are not set, Syria will continue its violations,” he added.

As the session began in the Great Hall of Justice, the court of 15 judges sat in front of a row of empty white seats reserved for the Syrian delegation.

“The tribunal regrets the non-appearance of the Syrian Arab Republic,” said tribunal president Joan E. Donoghue.

A group of Syrians gathered outside the court before the hearing with photographs of people they described as victims of torture and enforced disappearance, and held signs reading “End Torture Now!” » and where are they?

Court decisions are legally binding, but are not always followed by the countries concerned. Last year, judges issued a similar order in another case calling on Moscow to end hostilities in Ukraine.

Canada and the Netherlands accuse Assad’s government of violating the U.N. Convention Against Torture and argue that the convention’s dispute resolution mechanism gives the Hague court jurisdiction to hear the case.

The war in Syria has so far left half a million dead, hundreds of thousands injured and destruction in many parts of the country. It has also led to the displacement of half of pre-war Syria’s 23 million inhabitants, more than 5 million of whom are refugees outside Syria.