A/HRC/19/69 I. Introduction 1. The independent international commission of inquiry, established pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-17/1 to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic, 1 continued to investigate alleged violations of international human rights law and sought to establish the facts and circumstances that may amount to such violations. 2. In the present report, which builds on and should be read in conjunction with the initial report (A/HRC/S-17/2/Add.1), the commission gives an update for the period since November 2011 (sect. III). It provides an account of the ongoing suffering of the Syrian population, the widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations that State forces continue to commit, and the human rights abuses committed by anti-Government armed groups. 3. Consistent with its mandate, the commission also endeavoured, where possible, to identify those responsible for violations and crimes perpetrated since March 2011, with a view to ensuring that perpetrators of violations, including those that may constitute crimes against humanity, are held accountable.2 Its findings on responsibility (sect. IV) cover the period from March 2011 until mid-February 2012. A. Cooperation with the Government 4. The commission regrets that the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic did not give the commission access to the country, nor did it respond positively to its requests to interview authorized Government spokespersons. 5. The commission met with the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic on 7 and 15 February 2012. 6. The present report reflects relevant information provided by the Government in response to the commission‟s repeated and detailed requests (annexes I to XII). On 15 February 2012, the day the present report was finalized, the Permanent Representative presented the commission with documents containing detailed information on armed group attacks. The report reflects the overall content of the documents received, which comprised several hundred pages in Arabic. In addition, the commission drew on public statements of senior officials. The commission also followed the reporting of the official Syrian Arab news agency SANA. B. Methodology 7. The commission endeavoured to reflect violations and abuses on all sides. The lack of access to the country, however, posed particular challenges for the documentation of abuses committed by anti-Government armed groups and opposition actors, given that most victims and witnesses of such abuses have remained in the country and the Government had not facilitated interviews with victims of armed group violence during the period under review. The opportunity to engage with communities and officials on the ground would 1 2 On 12 September 2011, the President of the Human Rights Council appointed three high-level experts as members of the commission: Paulo Pinheiro (Chairperson), Yakin Ertürk and Karen Koning AbuZayd. Human Rights Council resolution S-17/1, para. 13. 5