A/HRC/18/53 1 July: “Friday of Departure” (‫)ﺟﻤﻌﺔ اﻟﺮﺣﻴﻞ‬: large-scale demonstrations are reported in various parts of the country. There are reportedly a million demonstrators in Hama, making it the largest single demonstration so far since the unrest began. 7 July: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on the Syrian authorities to “stop their bloody crack-down on protesters” and to allow access to the United Nations to assess the Human Rights situation in the country. 8 July: “Friday of No Dialogue” (‫)ﺟﻤﻌﺔ اﻟﻼﺣﻮار‬: hundreds of thousands attend a demonstration in the city of Hama, which according to some estimates reached 500’000. The French and British ambassadors to Syria visit the city. The Syrian government condemns the visit. 11 July: Supporters of the Syrian president attack the French and US embassies. The US secretary of state condemns these attacks and states that President Assad had “lost legitimacy.” 12 July: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council condemn the attacks against the British and French embassies in the Syrian capital Damascus. 15 July: “Detainees’ Freedom Friday” (‫)ﺟﻤﻌﺔ اﺳﺮى اﻟﺤﺮﻳﺔ‬: hundreds of thousands demonstrate in various parts of the country including Hama, Aleppo and Damascus. 20 July: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on the Syrian government “to stop repression immediately” and urges all sides to refrain from violence. 120