Qatar Reiterates Need to Hold those Responsible for Crimes in Syria Accountable
Geneva / Information Office / July 02
The State of Qatar condemned the bombing, arbitrary arrests and harassment carried out by the Syrian regime, stressing the importance of providing protection to Syrian civilians and holding accountable all those responsible for the violations and crimes committed in the country.
On behalf of Qatar the speech was made by Deputy Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN in Geneva Abdullah Al Nuaimi at the forty-first session Human Rights Council item 4 under the title "Interactive dialogue with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic."
Al Nuaimi said that despite the many warnings done by countries and international organizations on the disastrous and tragic consequences that will result from the military escalation carried out by the Syrian regime and its allies in northwestern Syria since last April, especially in the Idlib Governorate which is home to more than three million people, however a great indifference and disregard by the Syrian forces is being witnessed, and they have flagrantly violated all the basic principles of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
He added that Qatar strongly condemns the violation of the de-escalation, the Sochi agreement on Idlib, the return of Syrian forces to indiscriminate bombardment, the deliberate targeting of facilities, medical personnel, schools, civil defense centers and refugee camps, to spread terror and destruction and to force civilians to flee forcibly and inflict maximum harm on them.
Al Nuaimi also said the State of Qatar condemns the bombing and arbitrary arrests and harassment carried out by the Syrian authorities in areas where reconciliation and settlement operations had taken place. He added that after many years of living under siege, the residents of these areas face a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the arbitrary use of State power and denial of many basic rights.
He stressed the importance of providing protection to Syrian civilians, establishing the ceasefire in Idlib and engaging seriously in the political process in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.
He also welcomed the issuance of Security Council resolution 2474 concerning missing persons as a result of armed conflict, submitted by the State of Kuwait, calling on the international community to exert the necessary pressure and procedures to clarify the fate of detainees and missing persons in Syria and to hold accountable all those responsible for violations and crimes committed in the country.
He thanked the Commission of Inquiry, expressing Qatar's condemnation of the continued refusal of the Syrian authorities to allow the commission's entry to Syria.