The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in the final day of its 38th session on Friday condemned violations of human rights and international law in Syria, especially the violations being committed by the Assad regime and its allied sectarian militias and their killings against the Syrian people, chiefly among them is the Hezbollah militia.
In a statement at the end of the June 18-July 6 session, the Council expressed its concern over the intervention of these sectarian militias in Syria as it further aggravated the deteriorating situation and risked causing implications for Syria and the entire region.
The Council adopted a resolution condemning the Assad regime’s use of internationally prohibited weapons, heavy weapons, barrel bombs, aerial bombardment, incendiary weapons, and cluster bombs against civilians. It also condemned the use of siege and starvation as a weapon of warfare against unarmed civilians.
The Council expressed its concern about the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry which concluded that the Assad regime and its allied militias have committed systematic sexual violence against women, girls, men and boys since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011.
The resolution also denounced enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and torture in the prisons of the Assad regime, including those referred to in the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria and which were proved by photographic evidence back in January 2014.
The Council commended the results of the work of the UN Commission of Inquiry in supporting future accountability efforts by investigating all violations that have been committed in Syria since March 2011 as well as to determine the facts to ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria.
The resolution called on the Assad regime to cooperate with the Commission and allow it unconditioned, unrestricted access to all parts of Syria.
The resolution also called for giving relevant international bodies access to all detainees and detention facilities, allow the provision of medical services for detainees, and allow their families to know their whereabouts. It also called for the immediate release of all detainees, ensuring they are properly redressed, and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of violations. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
