A/RES/67/262
The situation in the Syrian Arab Republic
Organization called for the immediate implementation of the transitional plan and
the development of a peaceful mechanism that would allow the building of a new
Syrian State based on pluralism and a democratic and civilian system, where there
would be equality on the basis of law, citizenship and fundamental freedoms,
Expressing grave concern at the continuing escalation of violence in the
Syrian Arab Republic, in particular the continued widespread and systematic gross
violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian
law, including those involving the continued use of heavy weapons and aerial
bombardments, such as the indiscriminate use of ballistic missiles and cluster
munitions, by the Syrian authorities against the Syrian population, and the failure of
the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to protect its population,
Expressing outrage at the rapidly increasing death toll of at least 70,000
casualties in the Syrian Arab Republic, as reported by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights on 12 February 2013, 7
Recalling the statements made by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights before the Human Rights Council and the Security Council that
crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed in the Syrian Arab
Republic, stressing that the Syrian authorities have failed to prosecute such serious
violations, and noting the repeated encouragement by the High Commissioner for
Human Rights to the Security Council to refer the situation to the International
Criminal Court,
Welcoming the extension of the mandate of the independent international
commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, and deeply regretting the lack
of cooperation of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic with the commission,
in particular the persistent denial of access of its members to the Syrian Arab
Republic,
Expressing concern at the occurrence of grave violations against children in
the Syrian Arab Republic, that children were among the victims of military
operations carried out by Government forces, including the Syrian armed forces,
intelligence forces and shabbiha militias, and that children were victims of killing
and maiming, arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence,
and were used as human shields and recruited and used in the conduct of hostilities
in violation of international law, welcoming the intent of the Special Representative
of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict to pay a second visit to
the region, demanding that all parties grant her full and unfettered access to all areas
in the Syrian Arab Republic, and calling upon neighbouring countries to provide her
with all necessary assistance,
Expressing concern also at the vulnerable situation of women in the Syrian
Arab Republic, including being subjected to discrimination, sexual and other
physical abuse, violation of their privacy and arbitrary arrest and detention in raids,
including to force their male relatives to surrender, recalling that such acts of sexual
and gender-based violence could amount to war crimes and crimes against
humanity, underlining the importance of preventing all sexual violence and violence
based on gender, and welcoming the intent of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict to visit the Syrian Arab Republic
to investigate these violations and abuses,
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See S/PV.6917.