A/HRC/19/80
I. Introduction
1.
In its resolution S-18/1, the Human Rights Council condemned the continued
widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by
the Syrian authorities and urged the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to meet its
responsibility to protect its population, to immediately put an end to all human rights
violations, to stop any attacks against civilians and to comply fully with its obligations
under international human rights law. The Council also requested the Secretary-General to
present a report on the implementation of resolution S-18/1 to the Council at its nineteenth
session. The present report is submitted pursuant to that request. It contains information on
the actions of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic taken to implement the relevant
provisions of resolution S-18/1 as informed by the Government, particularly through notes
verbales sent on 24 January and 10 February 2012 (A/HRC/19/G/4), and on relevant
actions taken by the international community.
II. Implementation of Human Rights Council resolution S-18/1
A.
Actions by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic
2.
On 11 January 2012, members of the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) met with representatives of the Permanent
Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic in Geneva to enquire about the status of
implementation of Human Rights Council resolution S-18/1. OHCHR enquired in
particular about the status of implementation of paragraph 9 of the resolution, in which the
Council called upon the Syrian authorities to cooperate fully with OHCHR, including
through the establishment of a field presence in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Ambassador
of the Syrian Arab Republic informed OHCHR that, for the time being, his Government
was not yet ready to cooperate with OHCHR.
3.
On 16 January 2012, OHCHR, on behalf of the Secretary-General, addressed a note
verbale to the Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic referring to Human Rights
Council resolution S-18/1, in particular paragraphs 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 15 and 16 thereof, in
which the Council requested actions from the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic. In
the note verbale, OHCHR requested information on any steps taken or envisaged by the
Government of the Syrian Arab Republic on the implementation of the said actions.
4.
On 24 January and 10 February 2012, the Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab
Republic addressed two separate notes verbales to OHCHR. 1 OHCHR is not in a position to
verify the accuracy of the information submitted by the Government of the Syrian Arab
Republic.
5.
In its note verbale of 10 February 2012, the Government of the Syrian Arab
Republic reiterated its position, namely, that a campaign of deception and exaggeration had
1
2
In addition to the notes verbales, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, between 14 and 20
February 2012, shared with OHCHR several other reports and documents containing statistics and
tables on armed attacks on health facilities, educational institutions and transport infrastructure, as
well as casualty figures in the Syrian military, police and law enforcement bodies as a result of acts of
alleged terrorist armed groups. OHCHR is unable to attest to the factual accuracy of the information
provided. The same material was also shared with the commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab
Republic.
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