A/HRC/RES/46/22
expressing support for the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry and deploring the lack of
cooperation by the Syrian authorities with the Commission of Inquiry,
Acknowledging the importance of including victims’ perspectives and demands for
truth and justice in the international community’s efforts on 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 March 2021 marks 10 years since the peaceful
uprising and its brutal repression that led to the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, 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, recalls 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 and the recent conclusions of the Independent
International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic that violations and abuses
have included acts that are likely to constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes and other
international crimes, including genocide;
2.
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;
3.
Expresses grave concern that, after 10 years of conflict, more than 11.5 million
people have been displaced by the conflict, which equates to over half of the pre-conflict
population of the Syrian Arab Republic;
4.
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 recent recommendation
made by the Commission of Inquiry to immediately institute a permanent ceasefire, in order
to provide the space for Syrian-led negotiations and for the restoration of human rights, urges
all parties to the conflict to direct their efforts to enact such a ceasefire, and in this regard
takes note of 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
5.
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 this process under the auspices
of the Special Envoy and his Office in Geneva, in accordance with all elements of Security
Council resolution 2254 (2015), deeply regrets in this regard that the recent meetings of the
constitutional committee were a missed opportunity to make progress, stresses the need for
credible engagement from all parties, first and foremost by the Syrian authorities, to ensure
the committee’s proper functioning, and notes the recent comment of the Commission of
Inquiry that, without concerted, immediate action to further a permanent ceasefire and a good
faith, Syrian-led peace process, the conflict may yet descend to new levels of inhumanity;
6.
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, including those who may be responsible for crimes
2
3
2
A/75/743.
S/2020/187, annex.