Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic
A/RES/73/182
28. Recalls the statements made by the Special Envoy of the SecretaryGeneral for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, indicating that the overwhelming majority
of the civilian casualties in the Syrian Arab Republic have been caused by the
indiscriminate use of aerial bombardments, demands in this re gard that the Syrian
authorities immediately cease any attacks on civilians, any disproportionate attacks
and any indiscriminate use of weapons in populated areas, and recalls in this regard
the obligation to respect international humanitarian law in all c ircumstances;
29. Emphasizes the need for accountability for crimes involving breaches of
international law, in particular of international humanitarian law and human rights
law, some of which may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity, committ ed
in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, through fair and independent
investigations and prosecutions at the domestic or international level;
30. Urges all Member States and parties to the conflict to cooperate fully with
the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation
and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under
International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011,
including through the provision of relevant information and documentation, stresses
its mandate to closely cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry, and also urges the
Mechanism to make a particular effort to ensure consultation and cooperation with
Syrian civil society organizations;
31. Welcomes the reports of the Mechanism for 2017 and 2018, 42 and invites
the Head of the Mechanism to prepare the reports of the Mechanism for presentation
on an annual basis in the month of April at a plenary meeting of the General Assembly,
starting at its seventy-third session, under the agenda item entitled “Prevention of
armed conflict”, within existing resources;
32. Also welcomes the voluntary contributions made by Member States to the
funding of the Mechanism, invites all Member States to make additional financi al
contributions, and notes the steps taken by the Secretary-General in response to the
call to include the necessary funding for the Mechanism in his next budget proposal;
33. Emphasizes the need to ensure that all those responsible for violations of
international humanitarian law or violations and abuses of human rights law are held
to account through appropriate, fair and independent domestic or international
criminal justice mechanisms, in accordance with the principle of complementarity,
stresses the need to pursue practical steps towards this goal, and for that reason
encourages the Security Council to take appropriate action to ensure accountability,
noting the important role that the International Criminal Court can play in this
regard;
34. Welcomes the efforts by States to investigate conduct in the Syrian Arab
Republic and to prosecute crimes within their jurisdiction committed in the Syrian
Arab Republic, encourages them to continue to do so and to share relevant
information between States in accordance with their national legislation and
international law, and also encourages other States to consider doing the same;
35. Deplores the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the S yrian Arab
Republic, and urges the international community to assume its responsibility for
providing urgent financial support to enable the host countries and communities to
respond to the growing humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees, while emphasizing t he
principle of burden-sharing;
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18-22278
A/72/764 and A/73/295.
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