Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic

Condemnatory

No

Analysis

• The resolution contains mostly praise and encouragement for the "interim authorities" in Syria.
• Employing weak language, the resolution criticizes attacks "that appear to constitute retaliation since December 2024" without naming any perpetrators. However, this is immediately followed by an acknowledgment of the "commitments of the interim authorities" to investigate the violations.
• The resolution also criticizes the former regime for its violations and renews the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry which appears directed at continuing to investigate violations by the former regime.
• While the resolution is adopted under Agenda Item 4, which normally signifies criticism, in this case the Agenda Item seems merely a technical holdover from past resolutions. Since there is no criticism of the current government, the resolution is deemed non-condemnatory.
• Also, in a change from past years, the resolution was adopted by consensus, indicating a less critical approach.

Main Sponsors

United Kingdom, Albania, Ireland, Norway, France, Germany, Netherlands, Qatar, Turkey

Vote

Consensus

Key Praise

• "Welcoming the end of the former Syrian regime in December 2024, which had failed to meet its responsibility to protect the Syrian population and to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all persons within its jurisdiction…"
• "Welcoming the visits and observations made since December 2024 by the High Commissioner, the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Commission of Inquiry and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, following the unprecedented granting of access by the interim authorities, previously denied by the former regime…"
• "Welcomes the commitments of the interim authorities to form a comprehensive transitional government representing the country’s diverse communities, and to build State institutions in advance of holding free and fair elections…"
• "Also welcomes the provisions of the Constitutional Declaration signed in March 2025 affirming that the State shall guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms…"
• "Decides to extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic for a period of one year."

Key Criticism

• "Deploring that, since 2011, the former Syrian regime had consistently used arbitrary detention, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including sexual and gender-based violence and enforced disappearances, and other detention-related violations, to intimidate, punish and coerce perceived political opponents, dissenting civilians, and their family members, in addition to summary executions, extrajudicial killings, the targeting of civilians and use of chemical weapons, as documented by the Commission of Inquiry and the Office of the High Commissioner."
• "Reiterating its grave concern at the findings of the Investigation and Identification Team of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons attributing responsibility for multiple chemical weapons attacks to the former Syrian regime…"
• "Noting with great concern alarming allegations of attacks that appear to constitute retaliation since December 2024, and alarming reports of killings, including of civilians, in the coastal region in March 2025, and the detrimental impact that such attacks have on peace and reconciliation."