RES/24/22 The continuing grave deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

GE.13-17964

Human Rights Council Twenty-fourth session

Agenda item 4 Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

24/22.

The continuing grave deterioration of the human rights and

humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming all previous Human Rights Council resolutions on the Syrian Arab Republic,

Reaffirming also its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic,

Condemning the grave deterioration of the human rights situation and the indiscriminate or deliberate targeting of civilians as such, in violation of international humanitarian law,

Condemning also the lack of cooperation of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic with the independent international commission of inquiry,

Welcoming the efforts of the Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, and expressing full support to find a negotiated political solution to the Syrian crisis,

1. Welcomes the report of the commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic;1

2. Demands that the Syrian authorities cooperate fully with the commission of inquiry, including by granting it immediate, full and unfettered access throughout the Syrian Arab Republic;

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its twenty-fourth session (A/HRC/24/2), Part One. 1 A/HRC/24/46.

3. Strongly condemns the continued gross, systematic and widespread violations of human rights and all violations of international humanitarian law by the Syrian authorities and affiliated militias, as well as any human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by armed opposition groups;

4. Stresses the need to ensure that those responsible for such violations and abuses are held to account, and encourages States to take steps to support and enable current and future accountability efforts;

5. Strongly condemns all massacres in the Syrian Arab Republic, including most recently the massacre in the Al Ghouta region, which caused appalling civilian casualties;

6. Also strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, which is prohibited under international law, amounts to a serious crime and has a devastating impact on civilians;

7. Calls on all groups in the Syrian Arab Republic to refrain from retaliation and violence, including sexual violence, and urges all parties to the conflict to prevent violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses;

8. Deplores the deteriorating humanitarian situation, and urges the international community to provide urgent financial support to enable the host countries to respond to the growing humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees, while emphasizing the principle of burden- sharing;

9. Demands that the Syrian authorities facilitate, and all other parties to the conflict do not hinder, the full, immediate and safe access of the United Nations and humanitarian actors, and calls upon all Member States to fully fund the United Nations appeals;

10. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

36th meeting

27 September 2013

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 40 to 1, with 6 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:

Angola, Argentina, Austria, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Estonia, Gabon,

Germany, Guatemala, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Montenegro, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States of America

Against:

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Abstaining: Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Philippines]