Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoGENEVA / SYRIA INQUIRY
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: GENEVA / SYRIA INQUIRY
TRT: 2.50
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ARABIC / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 12 MARCH 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
FILE – 2011, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des nations
12 MARCH 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, HRC
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Paulo Pinheiro, Chairperson, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria:
"After months of obstruction, the government has given limited access to humanitarian organisations. Yet time has been lost and opportunities missed to assist those in need, due to the delaying stance of the government. Many died in the absence of proper medical treatment and essential supplies. Unimpeded humanitarian access should be granted as a rule rather than an exception."
4. Cutaway, Syrian Ambassador
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Paulo Pinheiro, Chairperson, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria:
"The reliable body of evidence from our investigations indicates that particular individuals may reasonably be suspected of bearing responsibility for international crimes. The commission is not a judicial body and can not make final determination as to criminal guilt. However our findings may assist future independent and credible investigations by competent authorities."
6. Cutaway, Chinese delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoul, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations:
"The Commission of inquiry has politicised its work and has based its conclusions on non legal basis as a result of which the COI has lots its legal and ethical hallmark and the Syrian government rejects this report. We are convinced after failed experience that there is no hope that we should not expect anything from this commission of inquiry which has been politicised, is biased and we expect its mandate not to be extended."
9. Cutaway, United States delegate
10. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Ambassador Mikhail Lebedev, Deputy-Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations:
"We have listened carefully to the report of the commission and we note that experts have shown professionalism and avoided unilateral assessments of the events. We find positive of inclusion in the report of data presented by the Syrian government in conditions when the information background around Syria is deliberately being distorted. This is essential for an objective assessment of the situation.”
11. Cutaway, Saudi Arabian delegates
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Marie Angela Zappia, Permanent Representative of the European Union to the United Nations:
"The EU affirms that there should be no impunity for perpetrators of such alleged crimes. Those responsible must be held to account and the referral of the situation in Syria to the international criminal court could be a logical step.”
13. Med shot, delegates
Civilians continue to bear the brunt of violence in Syria, the head of the United Nations-appointed panel probing human rights abuses in the country said today, noting that the use of force by security forces and the military against armed groups has often led to collective punishment.
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council on behalf of an independent panel today, Paulo Pinheiro said that force used by the Syrian government against armed groups has often led to collective punishment of civilians, who continue to bear the brunt of violent strife adding that those who committed such crimes must face justice.
Pinheiro told the Council that the “reliable body of evidence” from the Commission’s investigations indicated that “particular individuals may reasonably be suspected of bearing responsibility for international crimes,” saying that the findings may assist future independent and credible investigations by competent authorities.
Syrian Ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoul said that the Commission of Inquiry had politicised its work and had based its conclusions on “non legal basis as a result of which the COI has lost its legal and ethical hallmark and the Syrian government rejects this report.”
Russian Ambassador Mikhail Lebedev noted that experts had shown professionalism and avoided “unilateral assessments” of the events.
European Union Ambassador Marie Angela Zappia affirmed that there should be no impunity for perpetrators of the alleged crimes. She stressed that “those responsible must be held to account and the referral of the situation in Syria to the international criminal court could be a logical step.”
The Commission was established by the Council last August to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the country since March last year when the pro-democracy protests began.
In its report in November, the team said that the Syrian military and security forces have committed crimes against humanity during their crackdown against protesters.
The Syrian Government had informed the Commission that it had gathered information on 4,800 cases of human rights violations and that 74 “elements and members of public forces” have been sanctioned, Mr. Pinheiro said. The Government had also indicated that two officers of the rank of Brigadier General and other members of the security forces have been arrested.
The violence has displaced an estimated 70,000 Syrians within the country and thousands have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, including Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, he added.
