A/HRC/35/15
Interventions by representatives of States
42.
Many representatives of States acknowledged that the people of the Syrian Arab
Republic continued to face horrific violations and abuses of international human rights and
international humanitarian law, and condemned the fact that tens of thousands of Syrians
had been subjected to detention and enforced disappearance. They also condemned the
brutal conditions of detention in facilities run by non-State armed groups, including terrorist
groups such as ISIL and Jabhat al-Nusrah. They urged all those who had influence on the
parties to the conflict to do their utmost to end the violence.
43.
Many representatives condemned detention-related violations and abuses that caused
lasting pain and uncertainty for victims and their families, as highlighted in the recent
reports of Amnesty International and the Commission of Inquiry, in which the situation was
described as “extermination” and the need to end the physical and psychological torture in
Syrian detention centres was highlighted.
44.
Many representatives called on all parties, particularly the Government of the Syrian
Arab Republic, to release all those illegally detained, to protect those in their custody and to
grant unhindered access to international independent monitors. Many representatives also
condemned the fact that the Government did not guarantee fair trials.
45.
Many representatives highlighted the importance of the Commission of Inquiry
continuing to document violations and abuses of international human rights and
international humanitarian law, welcomed the establishment by the General Assembly of
the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism and called upon the Syrian
authorities to cooperate with both mechanisms.
46.
A number of representatives called for the implementation of Security Council
resolution 2254 (2015), including the lifting of sieges, the delivery of humanitarian
assistance, the end of indiscriminate attacks, the release of detainees, the end of executions.
They emphasized the necessity to protect vulnerable groups, including children, women and
members of ethnic and religious groups. Some representatives condemned, in particular, the
violations committed against women in ISIL-controlled Raqqa.
47.
Several State representatives emphasized the need for the international community
to end impunity in the Syrian Arab Republic and to support current and future
accountability initiatives so that those responsible for violations and abuses of international
law would be held to account. In that regard, some delegations stressed the importance of
referring the Syrian Arab Republic to the International Criminal Court and of supporting
other accountability initiatives.
48.
Many representatives reiterated their support for the efforts of the Special Envoy of
the Secretary-General for Syria to find a political solution and stressed that lasting peace
could not prevail without justice.
49.
Some representatives highlighted the necessity to protect and help those assisting
others, such as aid workers.
50.
Some representatives asked how the international community could better protect
and secure access to victims of detention. Some representatives asked what steps could be
taken quickly by the international community to address the issues of detention, enforced
disappearance and missing persons given the ongoing failure of the Security Council to
refer the situation to the International Criminal Court and to impose sanctions on
individuals or entities involved in detention-related crimes. Some representatives wondered
how they could best support Syrian civil society efforts in that regard.
Interventions by representatives of non-governmental organizations
51.
Some representatives of NGOs highlighted that the war continued to devastate the
lives of millions of people in the Syrian Arab Republic and that the United Nations and its
Member States needed to do more than monitor the situation and express moral outrage.
Violations and abuses continued despite the ongoing talks, and it was imperative that
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