Syrian Coalition Calls for UN to Pursue Human Rights Abusers in Syria

Media Statement

Syrian Coalition UN Office

New York, NY

July 30, 2013

In his briefing to the UN General Assembly, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, the Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, drew attention to the mass atrocities being committed against the people of Syria by the Assad regime that include indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombardment, disappearances, torture, sexual violence, and massacres. The Syrian Coalition welcomes Mr. Pinheiro’s calls for decisive international action to stop the carnage in Syria and calls upon members of the Security Council to heed Mr. Pinheiro’s appeal to act without delay to support a political solution to the Syrian conflict.

Building on 10 reports and updates by the Commission of Inquiry, Mr. Pinheiro offered testimony to the Syrian regime’s repeated deployment of imprecise weaponry, including unguided missiles, cluster munitions, and thermobaric bombs, in civilian areas. He also described a “culture of impunity” which has arisen from global inaction, even despite efforts to shed light on unlawful conduct.

“These illegal actions are being perpetrated with full impunity, and have already cost the lives of thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children,” said Dr. Najib Ghadbian, Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations.

The Syrian Coalition calls upon the Syrian regime to grant the International Commission of Inquiry immediate and unfettered access to Syrian territory. We further invite the Commission of Inquiry to enter into the liberated territories of Syria and to document any violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

The Syrian Coalition condemns all violations of humanitarian and human rights law, irrespective of their perpetrators. We ask that the Security Council take immediate steps to refer the Syrian case to the International Criminal Court to end the culture of impunity, which has thus far cost over 100,000 Syrians their lives.

Contact:

Mariam Jalabi

Director: Office of the Syrian National Coalition to the United Nations