Un Special Session on Syria

Special Session on Syria in April (16th Special Session) in 2011

United States views on international law (based on the document “Digest of U.S. Practice in International Law”): Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Council, addressed the Special Session on April 29, 2011 in Geneva. Her remarks are excerpted below and available in full at (internet link) geneva.usmission.gov/2011/04/29/hrc-special-session-on-syria-statement-by-ambassador-donahoe/.

Developments

The purpose of this Special Session of the Human Rights Council is to make clear that the international community strongly condemns the killing, arrest and torture of peaceful protestors taking place in Syria, even as we speak. To the Syrian Government, we are sending a clear and unequivocal message that we will not turn a blind eye as you arbitrarily imprison, torture, and kill your own citizens. To the brave people of Syria, who are demanding freedom and dignity, we are here to say that the world stands by you, and we will not ignore your plight.

Members of the Human Rights Council are gathered today to express the U.S. outrage at the extreme violence used by the Syrian government to silence their citizens' universal rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and participation in the affairs of their state. We condemn their brutal methods of silencing dissent, through shooting unarmed peaceful demonstrators and torture.

Details

We note that the Secretary-General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a group of ten United Nations special procedure mandate holders, have called on the Syrian government to stop the excessive use of force against peaceful protestors, and called for investigations on and accountability for the abuses. We remind all that security professionals are personally accountable if they carry out unlawful orders to kill peaceful protestors. We also are concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement within Syria and reports that the Syrian government is denying access to border crossings out of Syria, which violates the right to leave one's country. The Syrian government's censorship, control of media, and restrictions on journalists and internet access is deeply troubling.

More about the Issue

On April 29, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution by a vote of 26 to 9 with 7 abstentions, condemning the Syrian Government for its use of violence in response to its citizens' peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression. U.N. Doc. A/HRC/RES/S-16/1. Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, issued a statement hailing the resolution. Ambassador Rice's statement is available at (internet link) usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/2011/162200.htm. Secretary Clinton also issued a statement on April 29 on the Special Session, which is excerpted below and available at (internet link) geneva.usmission.gov/2011/05/02/clinton-hrc-ss-syria/.

Special Session on Syria in August (17th Special Session) in 2011

United States views on international law (based on the document “Digest of U.S. Practice in International Law”): Also on August 22, Ambassador Donahoe delivered the U.S. explanation of vote on the resolution on Syria passed by the Human Rights Council at its August Special Session by a vote of 33 to 4, with 9 abstentions. Ambassador Donahoe's statement appears below and is available at (internet link) geneva.usmission.gov/2011/08/23/ambassador-donahoe-says-hrc-vote-shows-growing-consensus-that-assad-has-lost-legitimacy-to-govern/.

More about Special Session on Syria in August (17th Special Session)

The passage today of the Human Rights Council resolution on the Human Rights Situation in Syria sends several important messages:

First, there is a very strong and growing consensus in the international community that Assad has lost legitimacy to govern and must step down.

The outcome manifests the extent to which he is now isolated.

Second, through this resolution, the international community sent a clear message to the Syrian people: We will not stand by silently as innocent civilians and peaceful protesters are slaughtered by security forces. We are working to ramp up pressure on the Syrian authorities to help ensure that the violence ends.

We have not been fooled by empty promises of reform and engagement.

Actions speak louder than words: the continuing atrocities have sent a loud and clear message to us all that Assad's promises cannot be trusted.

The Commission of Inquiry established by the resolution will ensure that evidence of atrocities will be uncovered and those responsible will be identified and held accountable.

Today's outcome is a victory for the Syrian people.

Developments

As indicated in Ambassador Donahoe's statement above, the resolution passed by the Human Rights Council at its Special Session on Syria in August mandated the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry. U.N. Doc. A/HRC/RES/S-17/1. Specifically, operative paragraph 13 of the resolution stated that the HRC:

Decides to dispatch urgently an independent international commission of inquiry, to be appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council, to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic, to establish the facts and circumstances that may amount to such violations and of the crimes perpetrated and, where possible, to identify those responsible with a view to ensuring that perpetrators of violations, including those that may constitute crimes against humanity, are held accountable.

On August 23, Secretary Clinton issued a statement congratulating the HRC for its resolution mandating a Commission of Inquiry into the situation in Syria. Secretary Clinton's statement is set forth below and also available at (internet link) geneva.usmission.gov/2011/08/24/secretary-clinton-syria/.

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I congratulate the Human Rights Council for its work to create an international independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the deteriorating human rights situation in Syria and to make clear the world's concern for the Syrian people. Today, the international community joined together to denounce the Syrian regime's horrific violence. The United States worked closely with countries from every part of the world—more than 30 members of the Human Rights Council, including key Arab members—to establish this mandate.

The Commission of Inquiry will investigate all violations of international human rights law by Syrian Authorities and help the international community address the serious human rights abuses in Syria and ensure that those responsible are held to account.

There are credible reports that government forces in Syria have committed numerous gross human rights violations, including torture and summary executions in their crackdown against opposition members. The most recent attack by Syrian security forces on protesters in Homs is as deplorable as it is sadly representative of the Asad regime's utter disregard for the Syrian people.

The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the slaughter, arrest, and torture of peaceful protesters taking place in Syria. We continue to urge nations around the world to stand with the Syrian people in their demands for a government that represents the needs and will of its people and protects their universal rights. For the sake of the Syrian people, it is time for Asad to step aside and leave this transition to the Syrians themselves.

Resources

See Also

• International Human Rights
• Human Rights Council
• Libya