HRC56 Interactive Dialogue with Commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic EU Statement

United Nations Human Rights Council

56^th session

Interactive Dialogue with Commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic

3 July 2024

EU statement

Mr President,

The European Union thanks the Commission of Inquiry for its oral update. We fully support your mandate, work and reports.

We thank all the participants and donors to the 8th conference on "Supporting the future of Syria and the region": it is imperative that the international community continues to support Syrian people and their host communities. We also support the new Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic.

The European Union firmly condemns the persistent, widespread, systematic and serious violations and abuses of human rights (including sexual and gender-based violence) and all violations of international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict, especially by the Syrian regime and its allies.

We reiterate our call for continued support to the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and to have the situation in Syria referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). We remain committed to a political solution in line with UNSCR 2254.

We continue to express our strong concern about reports of social and demographic engineering in all areas throughout Syria. The European Union reaffirms the need to achieve conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified returns of Syrian refugees, as defined by UNHCR, which are still not in place.

Safe, full, unhindered and sustained access for humanitarian organisations to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people is imperative, including to places of confinement or detention.

I thank you.

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