A/HRC/19/80 protection throughout the Syrian Arab Republic. The Government regretted the fact that, despite its efforts, some journalists had been attacked by terrorist armed groups, such as in the case of a French journalist and the injuring of his colleague on 12 January 2012, in addition to the injury of eight Syrians in the same attack. The Government added that it had immediately launched an investigation into this incident, providing a list of existing media outlets in the Syrian Arab Republic in an annex to its note verbale of 10 February 2012. In that note verbale, the Government also pointed out that other journalists had been harassed, threatened and attacked by armed groups in order to force them to broadcast false news, such as the killing of journalist Shukri Abu Al Burghol by terrorist groups in Daria (suburb of Damascus), the burning of the house owned by Nedal Hmeedy, correspondent of the Lebanese satellite television station Al Jadeed, after he was threatened, and also the complete razing of the house owned by media personality Ali Jamalo and that of the journalist Mustafa Al Meqdad. The Government stated that everyone had been granted free access to Internet services, including social networks. 11. With regard to paragraph 4 (g) of the resolution, in which the Human Rights Council called on the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to respect human rights defenders and ensure that there were no reprisals against persons who had cooperated with the commission of inquiry, the Government stressed its commitment to respect the rights of genuine human rights defenders. In its note verbale of 10 February 2012, the Government stated that the Syrian Arab Republic had enacted a new law in 2011 to allow new political parties. 12. With regard to paragraph 4 (h) of the resolution, in which the Human Rights Council called on the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to ensure timely, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian actors and the safe passage of humanitarian and medical supplies into the country, the Government pointed out that armed groups had tried to prevent the arrival of food to the Syrian people by bombing energy supply infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities, and by killing drivers transporting food, medicine and gasoline. The Government maintained that terrorist groups had made these attacks to create the impression that there was a humanitarian crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic, and thus to justify what they called a safe humanitarian passage for the transportation of humanitarian and medical aid to the Syrian people. In its note verbale of 10 February 2012, the Syrian Arab Republic rejected these attempts as aimed merely at justifying foreign intervention in the country. 13. With regard to paragraph 4 (i) of the resolution, in which the Human Rights Council called on the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to facilitate the voluntary return of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons, the Government reiterated its commitment to protect the rights of refugees. It stated, however, that, in the current context, terrorist groups were the ones terrorizing populations in specific areas and who had deliberately attempted to create sectarian internal displacement, and forced those living in border areas to cross into other countries. In some parts of the Syrian Arab Republic, armed terrorist groups had cleansed cities and neighbourhoods of specific minority groups who had long lived in those areas. The Government also maintained that terrorist groups had also targeted mosques and monasteries. 14. With regard to paragraph 6 of the resolution, in which the Human Rights Council urged the Syrian authorities to respect the popular will, aspirations and demands of its people, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic claimed that it had taken steps to reinforce frameworks aimed at encouraging the expression of the political will of the people in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Government stated that it had established a committee to redraft the Constitution, which had finalized its work. The newly drafted Constitution, which would provide for the establishment of a multiparty system, 5