A/RES/72/191
Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic
the actions of so-called ISIL (also known as Da’esh), cannot and should not be
associated with any religion, nationality or civilization;
15. Condemns in the strongest terms the gross and systematic abuse of
women’s and children’s rights by so-called ISIL (also known as Da’esh), in particular
sexual and gender-based violence, including the enslavement and sexual exploitation
and abuse of women and girls and the forced recruitment, use and abduction of
children;
16. Condemns the reported forced displacements of the population in the
Syrian Arab Republic, including forced displacement of civilians as a result of local
truce agreements, as highlighted by the Commission of Inquiry, and th e alarming
impact thereof on the demography of the country, which amounts to a strategy of
radical demographic change initiated by the Syrian authorities, its allies and other
non-State actors, calls upon all parties concerned to cease immediately all acti vities
related to these actions, including any activities that may amount to war crimes and
crimes against humanity, notes that impunity for such crimes is unacceptable,
reaffirms that those responsible for such breaches of international law must be
brought to justice, and supports efforts to collect evidence in view of future legal
action;
17. Reminds the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic of its obligations
under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, 40 including its obligation to take effective measures to
prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction, and calls upon all States
parties to the Convention to comply with any relevant obligations under the
Convention, including with respect to the extradite or prosecute principle contained
in article 7 of the Convention;
18. Strongly condemns the reported persistent and widespread use of sexual
violence, abuse and exploitation, including in government detention centres,
including those run by the intelligence agencies, and notes that such acts may
constitute violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of
international human rights law, and in this regard expresses deep concern at the
prevailing climate of impunity for sexual violence crimes;
19. Also strongly condemns all violations and abuses committed against
children in contravention of applicable international law, such as their recruitment
and use, killing and maiming, rape and all other forms of sexual violence, abductions,
denial of humanitarian access for children, and attacks on civilian objects, including
schools and hospitals, as well as their arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, torture and
ill-treatment and their use as human shields;
20. Recalls the statement made by the Chair of the Independent International
Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic on 21 September 2015 that the
Syrian authorities remain responsible for the majority of the civilian casualties,
killing and maiming scores of civilians daily, welcomes the most recent report of the
Commission of Inquiry, of 8 August 2017, 35 reiterates its decision to transmit the
reports of the Commission of Inquiry to the Security Council, expresses its
appreciation to the Commission of Inquiry for its briefings to members of t he Security
Council, and requests that the Commission of Inquiry continue to brief the General
Assembly and members of the Security Council;
21. Reaffirms the Syrian authorities’ responsibility for enforced disappearances,
takes note of the assessment of the Commission of Inquiry that the Syrian authorities’
use of enforced disappearances amounts to a crime against humanity, and condemns
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