A/HRC/21/50 alleged perpetrator, the commission focused on the most serious allegations. It was mindful of the protection of victims and witnesses, concerns that lie at the heart of the methodology of human rights investigations. 9. Owing to the lack of access to the Syrian Arab Republic, the commission continued to deploy to the region to collect first-hand accounts from those who had left the country. Starting on 15 February, the commission conducted 693 interviews in the field and from Geneva, including by Skype and telephone with victims and witnesses inside the country. This brought the total number of interviews conducted by the commission to 1,062 since its establishment in September 2011. 10. The commission also examined photographs, video recordings, satellite imagery and additional material, such as forensic and medical records. It continued to review reports from Government and non-governmental (both international and Syrian opposition) sources, academic analyses, media accounts (including Syrian news outlets), as well as United Nations reports, including from human rights bodies and mechanisms. 11. The commission applied the standard of proof used in previous reports, namely ―reasonable grounds to believe‖. The commission relied mainly on first-hand accounts to corroborate incidents. 12. In its previous reports, the commission did not apply international humanitarian law. During the present reporting period, the commission determined that the intensity and duration of the conflict, combined with the increased organizational capabilities of antiGovernment armed groups, had met the legal threshold for a non-international armed conflict. With this determination, the commission applied international humanitarian law in its assessment of the actions of the parties during hostilities (see also annex II). 13. The commission continued its engagement with representatives of Member States, United Nations bodies and other international and regional organizations. The commission is grateful to all those who cooperated with it in the fulfilment of its mandate, first and foremost the victims of and witnesses to human rights violations and abuses. II. Context A. Political background 14. Efforts to find a solution to the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic continued throughout the reporting period. The Government launched several political and governance reforms, while the United Nations and the League of Arab States appointed a joint special envoy, Kofi Annan, on 23 February 2012. These efforts brought little progress, given the escalating violence and the significant deterioration in the situation on the ground. 15. The reform initiatives included a referendum on a new Constitution, held on 26 February 2012, parliamentary elections, held on 7 May, and the appointment of a new Government, on 23 June. These events were opportunities for introducing political pluralism and a democratic political process. They were not, however, viewed as inclusive enough to satisfy the growing dissident movement within the country or the exiled opposition. 16. President Bashar Al Assad did not succeed in engaging the opposition in a meaningful dialogue. The elections were boycotted by the opposition, and their outcome preserved the supremacy of the Baath party in Parliament as well as in the new Government, thus failing to bring emerging political forces into governance institutions. This development further antagonized segments of the population and opposition groups. 6