A/HRC/RES/48/15
with families on the search process, and noting also that, in the same resolution, the Council
called upon parties to armed conflict to take steps to prevent people from going missing as a
result of armed conflict,
Recalling the statements made by the Secretary-General and the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights that crimes against humanity and war crimes are likely to
have been committed in the Syrian Arab Republic,
Expressing its deepest concern about the findings of the Commission of Inquiry,
including in its most recent report,1 including the Commission’s conclusion that the situation
of human rights has worsened for many Syrians over the past year, expressing support for
the mandate of the Commission and deploring the lack of cooperation by the Syrian
authorities with the Commission,
Acknowledging the importance of including victims’ perspectives, including the
perspectives of women victims and survivors, and their demands for truth and justice in the
international community’s efforts with regard to the Syrian Arab Republic,
Welcoming the work of 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, 2
and noting with appreciation the work of the United Nations Board of Inquiry,
1.
Expresses grave concern that the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic continues
and that the conflict has been marked by consistent patterns of gross violations and abuses of
international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law, strongly
condemns all violations and abuses and the ongoing human rights situation, demands that all
parties immediately comply with their respective obligations under international
humanitarian law and international human rights law, and emphasizes the need to ensure that
all those responsible for such violations and abuses are held to account;
2.
Strongly reiterates the call of the Secretary-General for a global ceasefire, the
call of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria for a complete, immediate and
nationwide ceasefire throughout the Syrian Arab Republic and the recommendation made by
the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to
immediately institute a permanent ceasefire in order to provide the space for Syrian-led
negotiations and for the restoration of respect for human rights, and urges all parties to the
conflict to direct their efforts to enact such a ceasefire, and in this regard recalls the Additional
Protocol to the Memorandum on the Stabilization of the Situation in the Idlib De-escalation
Area, signed by the Russian Federation and Turkey on 5 March 2020;3
3.
Strongly supports the efforts of the Special Envoy to make progress in the
political process and to advance further aspects of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015)
of 18 December 2015, including free and fair elections, pursuant to the new constitution, with
all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate, urges all parties, in
particular 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), and reaffirms the importance of full implementation
of the women and peace and security agenda pursuant to Security Council resolution 1325
(2000) of 31 October in this regard;
4.
Welcomes the work and the important role played by the Commission of
Inquiry, established by the Human Rights Council in its resolution S-17/1 of 23 August 2011,
in supporting essential accountability efforts by investigating all alleged violations and
abuses of international human rights law since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic, in
order to establish the facts and circumstances and to support efforts to ensure that all
perpetrators of abuses and violations, which may include those responsible for crimes against
humanity and war crimes, are identified and held accountable, demands that the Syrian
authorities cooperate fully with the Council and the Commission of Inquiry by granting the
1
2
3
2
A/HRC/48/70.
See A/75/743.
S/2020/187, annex.