The latest oral update on the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, highlighted several cases of unlawful killings, torture and other forms of ill-treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, violations of children’s rights, attacks on hospitals and unlawful sieges and barricades.
Commenting on the report, the chairman of the UN commission of inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, highlighted that there was enough evidence for indictment, stating,
Highlighting the mass killing of civilians, the report said,
Commenting on the report, the chairman of the UN commission of inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, highlighted that there was enough evidence for indictment, stating,
"We do not lack information on crimes or even on perpetrators. What we lack is a means by which to achieve justice and accountability but this is not in our powers."
Highlighting the mass killing of civilians, the report said,
“Civilians have been killed from initial blasts and the shrapnel that results. Others have been killed in the collapse of buildings around the impact site. Bodies were torn apart by shrapnel and flying debris. The use of barrel bombs in this contexts amounts to ‘area bombardment’ prohibited under international humanitarian law. Such bombardments spread terror among the civilian population.”