Supporting human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic

Condemnatory

No

Analysis

• The resolution largely praises and encourages the current Syrian government. While one paragraph expresses “deep concern” over reports of attacks on civilians throughout 2025 and into 2026, it does not identify any perpetrators. This limited criticism is outweighed by repeated commendation, including language “commending the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic for the progress achieved since December 2024.”
• The resolution also criticizes the former regime and renews the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry, which appears focused on continuing to investigate past violations and providing technical assistance to the current government.
• Notably, the resolution has been moved from Agenda Item 4—traditionally reserved for situations requiring scrutiny—to Agenda Item 2, and contains no direct criticism of the current government. It is therefore deemed non-condemnatory.
• Finally, its adoption by consensus, unlike in past years, further reflects a less critical approach.

Main Sponsors

United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Qatar, Turkey

Vote

Consensus

Key Praise

• "Commending the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic for the progress achieved since December 2024…"
• "Welcoming the establishment of national commissions to ensure accountability and justice and to clarify the fate of missing persons…"
• "Welcoming the continued access provided by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic since December 2024 to these entities to support investigations and accountability efforts, which was denied by the former regime."
• "Welcoming statements by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic in which it condemned reported human rights violations and abuses committed in coastal and southern regions and initiated steps to investigate and hold accountable those responsible…"
• "Welcoming the commitments made in Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, regarding the rights of Kurdish citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic, and the ceasefire and integration agreements announced on 18 and 30 January 2026…"
• "Welcomes the indirect parliamentary elections held thus far in the Syrian Arab Republic as a step forward in the country’s political process…"
• "Welcomes the broad access granted by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Commission of Inquiry…"

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 disappearance, 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 the use of chemical weapons…"
• "Expressing deep concern over the reports of serious human rights violations and abuses, including alarming allegations of attacks on the civilian population since December 2024, including in coastal regions in March 2025, in Damascus in June 2025, in Suwayda’ and in the south of the country in July 2025, in Homs in December 2025 and in Aleppo in January 2026."
• "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…"
• "Reiterates its call upon the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to ensure that allegations of all crimes that appear to constitute retaliation are investigated and that perpetrators are held to account through transparent and appropriate judicial mechanisms that are compliant with human rights standards..."
• "Decides, in order to support further progress on human rights, to extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic for a period of one year…"