Geneva Institute for Human Rights

Gross violations of human rights have been committed by Syrian military and security forces in different locations around the country, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria announced in a long-awaited report, saying it was "gravely concerned" those violations amount to crimes against humanity.

In the report, requested by the UN Human Rights Council, authors Paulo Pinheiro (Chairperson), Yakin Ertürk and Karen Koning AbuZayd documented patterns of summary execution, arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, torture, including sexual violence, as well as violations of children’s rights since protests began in March 2011.

The commission collected evidence from September until mid-November 2011, conducting 223 interviews with victims and witnesses to events in Syria since March 2011, including civilians and defectors from the military and the security forces. In addition, authors met with regional government representatives, regional organizations, including the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, non-governmental organizations, human rights defenders, journalists and experts. They presented their findings at a press conference in Geneva on November 28.

The commission called upon the Syrian government to put an immediate end to ongoing gross human rights violations, to initiate independent and impartial investigations of these violations, and to bring perpetrators to justice. The commission also addressed recommendations to opposition groups, the Human Rights Council, regional organizations, and member states of the United Nations.

Despite many requests, the Syrian government failed to grant the commission access to the country. Instead, Syrian officials informed the commission that they would examine the possibility of cooperating with the commission once the work of the government's own special legal commission was completed. The commission reiterated its call for immediate and unhindered access to the Syrian Arab Republic.

The full report is available at:
· http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/spe...