A/HRC/RES/S-16/1 Reaffirming that all States Members of the United Nations should refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, 1. Unequivocally condemns the use of lethal violence against peaceful protesters by the Syrian authorities and the hindrance of access to medical treatment, urges the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to immediately put an end to all human rights violations, protect its population and respect fully all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, and also urges the authorities to allow access to the Internet and telecommunications networks and to lift censorship on reporting, including by allowing appropriate access by foreign journalists; 2. Calls upon the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to release immediately all prisoners of conscience and arbitrarily detained persons, including those who were detained before the recent events, as well as to cease immediately any intimidation, persecution and arbitrary arrests of individuals, including lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists; 3. Urges the Syrian authorities to refrain from any reprisals against people who have taken part in peaceful demonstrations and to allow the provision of urgent assistance to those in need, including by guaranteeing appropriate access to human rights and humanitarian organizations; 4. Stresses the need for the Syrian authorities to launch a credible and impartial investigation, in accordance with international standards, and to prosecute those responsible for attacks on peaceful protesters in the Syrian Arab Republic, including by forces under Government control; 5. Urges the Syrian authorities to enlarge the scope of political participation aimed at ensuring civil liberties and enhancing social justice; 6. Encourages relevant thematic special procedures mandate holders, within their respective mandates, to pay particular attention to the human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, and urges the Syrian authorities to cooperate with these thematic mandate holders, including by allowing country visits; 7. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to dispatch urgently a mission to the Syrian Arab Republic to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law and to establish the facts and circumstances of such violations and of the crimes perpetrated, with a view to avoiding impunity and ensuring full accountability, and to provide a preliminary report and oral update on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic to the Human Rights Council at its seventeenth session, and to submit a follow-up report to the Council at its eighteenth session, and also requests the High Commissioner to organize an interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic during the eighteenth session of the Council; 8. Calls upon the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to cooperate fully with and grant access to personnel from the mission dispatched by the Office of the High Commissioner; 9. Requests the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner to provide all the administrative, technical and logistical assistance required to enable the mission to fulfil its mandate; 10. Decides to remain seized of the matter. 2nd meeting 29 April 2011 2