A/HRC/RES/45/21
including consistent patterns of gross violations and abuses of international human rights law
and violations of international humanitarian law, and reiterates the call of the SecretaryGeneral for a global ceasefire and that of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for
Syria for a complete, immediate and nationwide ceasefire throughout the Syrian Arab
Republic, and urges all parties to the conflict to direct their efforts to enact it;
2.
Strongly condemns all violations and abuses of international human rights law
and all violations of international humanitarian law throughout the Syrian Arab Republic,
takes note of the most recent report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry
on the Syrian Arab Republic in this regard,3 demands that all parties immediately comply
with their respective obligations, and emphasizes the need to ensure that all those responsible
for such violations and abuses are held to account;
3.
Reaffirms the importance of establishing appropriate processes and
mechanisms to achieve justice, reconciliation, truth and accountability for violations and
abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law,
and reparations and effective remedies for victims and survivors, and the prerequisite role
that accountability and transitional justice mechanisms can play in any effort to bring about
a sustainable, inclusive and peaceful conclusion to the conflict, and welcomes the significant
endeavours of the Commission of Inquiry and the International, Impartial and Independent
Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the
Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since
March 2011, while noting the important role that the International Criminal Court can play
in this regard;
4.
Welcomes the recent efforts by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for
Syria to convene and facilitate the third session of the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned
constitutional committee in Geneva, and urges all parties, particularly the Syrian authorities,
to engage meaningfully in the political process under the auspices of the Special Envoy and
his office in Geneva, in accordance with all elements of Security Council resolution 2254
(2015) of 18 December 2015, including free and fair elections pursuant to the new
constitution, the release of any arbitrarily detained persons, the immediate cessation of any
attacks directed at civilians and civilian objects and the building of conditions for the safe,
voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of Syrian refugees and internally displaced
persons, and to ensure the inclusion of the equal voice and full, effective and meaningful
participation and representation of women in all efforts and decision-making;
5.
Deplores the military offensive instigated by Syrian regime forces in Idlib
Governorate and surrounding areas in December 2019, which continues to indiscriminately
target and severely affect the civilian population, and remains extremely concerned about the
situation, notes in this regard the signing by the Russian Federation and Turkey on 5 March
2020 of the Additional Protocol to the Memorandum on the Stabilization of the Situation in
the Idlib De-escalation Area, and stresses the importance of continuing to work towards
preserving calm on the ground and the urgent need for the immediate cessation of any
military hostilities in Idlib and surrounding areas, the prioritization of the protection of all
civilians, including those previously displaced, and the guarantee of rapid and unimpeded
humanitarian access;
6.
Expresses deep concern at the situation on the ground across other areas of the
Syrian Arab Republic, including those areas retaken by the Syrian authorities and allied
forces and areas under the control of non-State armed groups, while noting that the
Commission of Inquiry in its latest report highlighted impediments to the freedom of
movement of people and goods, which limited access to basic services and curtailed housing,
land and property rights;
7.
Strongly condemns the continued practice of enforced disappearance and
arbitrary detention, notably widespread in areas where the Syrian authorities have retaken
control, which undermines the potential for genuine progress towards a political solution and
that, according to the Commission of Inquiry, represents an urgent and large-scale crisis of
human rights protection, and welcomes the priority given by the Special Envoy to this issue
3
2
A/HRC/45/31.