A/HRC/RES/21/7 Taking into account Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/66 of 20 April 2005, Human Rights Council decision 2/105 of 27 November 2006, and Council resolutions 9/11 of 18 September 2008 and 12/12 of 1 October 2009 on the right to the truth, Taking also into account Human Rights Council resolutions 10/26 of 27 March 2009 and 15/5 of 29 September 2010 on forensic genetics and human rights, in which the Council recognized the importance of the utilization of forensic genetics to deal with the issue of impunity within the framework of investigations relating to gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law, Welcoming the creation of the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 18/7 of 29 September 2011, and the appointment of a mandate holder by the Council at its nineteenth session, Noting with interest the general comment of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on the right to the truth in relation to enforced disappearance, Acknowledging the reports of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the right to the truth 1 and their significant conclusions relating to the right to know the truth about gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law, Acknowledging also the report of the Office of the High Commissioner on the right to the truth2 and its conclusions regarding the importance of the protection of witnesses within the framework of criminal procedures relating to gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law, as well as on issues relating to the elaboration and management of archive systems to guarantee the effective implementation of the right to the truth, Stressing that adequate steps to identify victims should also be taken in situations not amounting to armed conflict, especially in cases of massive or systematic violations of human rights, Recalling the set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity,3 and taking note with appreciation of the updated version of those principles,4 Noting that the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers has recognized the right to the truth, its scope and implementation, 5 and also that the Human Rights Committee and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances have recognized the right of the victims of gross violations of human rights and the right of their relatives to the truth about the events that have taken place, including the identification of the perpetrators of the facts that gave rise to such violations, 6 Acknowledging in cases of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law the need to study the interrelationship between the right to the truth and the right to access to justice, the right to obtain effective remedy and reparation and other relevant human rights, 1 2 3 4 5 6 2 E/CN.4/2006/91, A/HRC/5/7, A/HRC/15/33. A/HRC/12/19. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/20/Rev.1, annex II. E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1. E/CN.4/2006/52. E/CN.4/1999/62.