Press Release
Syrian Opposition Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
October 15, 2024
In response to the adoption of draft resolution A/HRC/57/L.11 concerning the human rights situation in Syria during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) stresses that it is the international community’s duty to reactivate the political process in Geneva. The root causes of Syria’s humanitarian tragedy are inherently political, and addressing these causes — rather than just their symptoms — is essential to ensuring human rights in Syria. This becomes even more urgent following the resolution’s affirmation that the Assad regime continues to violate international law and humanitarian law by targeting civilians with attacks carried out by both regime forces and their allies, as well as through arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances by its security apparatus.
The resolution, based on findings from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, highlights the violence in Assad regime prisons — especially against children — and the suffering of civilians due to indiscriminate attacks involving banned weapons. These documented violations compel the international community to fulfill its legal obligations by actively pursuing a fair political solution through the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 2254 (2015) and 2118 (2013). Achieving the Syrian people’s aspiration for a free, democratic state that upholds justice, respects human rights, and ensures citizens live safely and with dignity under the rule of law must be the priority.
The SOC welcomes the Human Rights Council’s resolution, which reaffirmed that Syria remains unsafe for the return of refugees and displaced persons. This reality must not be ignored by states, nor should they be swayed by the misleading claims of the Assad regime, which falsely portrays its territories as safe. The SOC also highlights the deteriorating humanitarian situation referenced in the resolution and emphasizes the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid to those in need, especially given the devastating impact of the February 2023 earthquake.
These challenges are compounded by the continued airstrikes, artillery shelling, and missile attacks carried out daily by the regime and its allies, along with the growing number of refugees returning from Lebanon to areas still experiencing hostilities. In these regions, humanitarian and relief aid is in constant decline, and in many cases, it has ceased entirely. This dire situation calls for an urgent and swift international response to save millions of Syrians struggling to survive amidst ongoing threats to their lives from the regime and its backers.
