A/HRC/19/2 19/22 Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic The Human Rights Council, Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and that all States are bound to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recalling General Assembly resolutions 66/176 of 19 December 2011 and 66/253 of 16 February 2012, as well as Human Rights Council resolutions S-16/1 of 29 April 2011, S-17/1 of 22 August 2011, S-18/1 of 2 December 2011 and 19/1 of 1 March 2012, Deploring the refusal of the Syrian authorities to implement the above-mentioned resolutions, and the lack of cooperation with the commission of inquiry, established by the Human Rights Council in its resolution S-17/1, including the continued denial of access to the country, Deploring also the escalation of violence that has led to a grave and ongoing human rights crisis and increased human suffering, and the fact that the Syrian authorities have manifestly failed in their responsibility to protect the Syrian population, Appalled at the ongoing and systematic brutal human rights violations by the Syrian authorities against the Syrian people, Recalling the statements made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights before the Security Council that crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed in the Syrian Arab Republic, and noting her encouragement to the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court, Welcoming all efforts, decisions and measures of the League of Arab States to address all aspects of the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the steps taken by the League to ensure the implementation of its Plan of Action, including its decisions of 2 November 2011 and 22 January, 12 February and 10 March 2012, Welcoming also the appointment of the joint special envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on the Syrian crisis, who is providing its good offices aimed at bringing an end to all violence and human rights violations and at promoting a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis, Welcoming further the holding of the first meeting of the Group of Friends of the Syrian People on 24 February 2012 in Tunis, and the outcome as reflected in the Chairman’s conclusions, Reaffirming that all involved in the current crisis must show respect for and act in conformity with human rights, Reaffirming also its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and to the principles of the Charter, 1. Welcomes both reports of the commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-17/134 and the recommendations made therein, and expresses profound concern about the commission’s findings that Government forces have committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations that may amount to 34 64 A/HRC/S-17/2/Add.1 and A/HRC/19/69. GE.13-14768