NATIONS UNIES UNITED NATIONS HAUT COMMISSARIAT DES NATIONS UNIES OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS AUX DROITS DE L’HOMME HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROCEDURES SPECIALES DU SPECIAL PROCEDURES OF THE CONSEIL DES DROITS DE L’HOMME HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions REFERENCE: UA G/SO 214 (33-27) SYR 3/2012 15 March 2012 Excellency, I have the honour to address you in my capacity as Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/251 and to Human Rights Council resolution 17/5. On behalf of all Special Procedures mandate-holders, the Special Procedures Coordinating Committee addressed the Human Rights Council at its 16th, 17th and 18th special sessions on the human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic to condemn the unjustified attacks against the civilian population. At each session, we have expressed alarm about the deterioration of the human rights situation and urged for an immediate end to violence to prevent further loss of lives. At the third special session of the Human Rights Council held on 2 December 2011, we expressed our utter dismay that in only three months since the previous special session, the death toll had doubled, increasing from approximately 2,000 to some 4,000. The death toll has dramatically increased since then. Since violence erupted following mass protests in mid-March 2011, I have noted credible and corroborated accounts that Syrian armed forces have committed gross, widespread and systematic human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, as documented in a number of reports submitted to the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Syria. Without seeking to be exhaustive, I would like to recall the main findings and conclusions reached in these reports over the past year, in particular those falling within the scope of my mandate. In its report to the Human Rights Council 18th session, the Fact-Finding Mission on Syria, dispatched by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, found “a pattern of human rights violations constituting widespread or systematic attacks against the civilian population, which may amount to crimes against humanity, as provided for in article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court” (A/HRC/18/53, para. 69), and gave inter alia an account of killings in paras. 70 to 82. The Fact-Finding Mission concluded that the Syrian Arab Republic had violated its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), including under article 6 on the right to life (para. 82). The independent international commission of inquiry on Syria, established pursuant to the Human Rights Council resolution S-17/1, concluded on 29 November 2011, that gross human rights violations amounting to crimes against humanity have been committed in Syria since mid-March 2011 (A/HRC/S-17/2/Add.1, paras. 41-51 and 108). Accounts of excessive use of force and extrajudicial killings were further reflected in the second report of the commission of inquiry presented to the Human Rights Council at its 19th session (A/HRC/19/69). The commission concluded that “[t]he Government has manifestly failed in its responsibility to protect the population; its forces have committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the State” and referred amongst others to the shelling of the villages of Ihsim, Ibleen, Ibdita, Kasanfra and Kafar Awid in mid-December. The commission’s report further noted that anti-Government armed groups have also committed abuses (para. 126). In a Presidential statement issued on 3 August 2011, the Security Council also condemned “widespread violations of human rights against civilians by Syrian authorities” (SC/10352). Moreover, in Resolution A/66/253 adopted on 14 February 2012, the General Assembly “strongly condemn[ed] the continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, arbitrary executions, the killing and persecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists” (OP2). Against this backdrop, I would like to draw your attention to the alarming reports of recent attacks carried out with an increasing intensity in specific parts of the countries. Since the beginning of 2012, cities such as Homs, Hama, Zabadani, and Idlib have reportedly been the subject of indiscriminate shelling resulting in hundreds of casualties. Thousands have fled to neighboring countries fearing for their lives. Tens of thousands have been internally displaced. Food, water and medical supplies have reportedly remained scarce thus negatively impacting the livelihood of those remaining in these areas. Despite repeated calls to put an immediate end to violence, the use of force has intensified and casualties have dramatically increased over the past few months. An estimated 500 children and juveniles have reportedly been killed. Disturbing information has been received of the civilian death toll as a result of the indiscriminate shelling of Homs in February as well as allegations of summary executions of civilians in the aftermath of capturing of the area by Syrian ground troops on 29 February. While the shelling has reportedly continued in Homs, unconfirmed accounts have been received of arbitrary executions of dozens of people in Karm el-Zeytoun and al-Adawiyed districts. Information has also been received indicating that civilians have been targeted in Idlib as military forces started attacking the area with heavy weaponry including tanks and armoured personnel carriers on 10 March 2012. I am further concerned about information indicating that antipersonnel landmines have been placed along the borders with Lebanon and Turkey, preventing populations from Idlib and Homs from fleeing. 2 In this context, whereas reports acknowledge the presence of armed groups in civilian areas, there is consensus that the presence of these groups does not render Government attacks against the civilian population legal. As a State Party to the ICCPR and to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Syrian Government has the obligation to protect all individuals’ right to life, including children and juveniles, and their right not to be arbitrarily deprived of their life under article 6 of both instruments. Under international human rights law, when force is used without strict compliance with the principles of necessity and proportionality, any loss of life that results, is an arbitrary deprivation of life and therefore a violation of international law. In General Comment No. 6, the Human Rights Committee stated that “[t]he protection against arbitrary deprivation of life which is explicitly required by the third sentence of article 6 (1) is of paramount importance. The Committee considers that States parties should take measures not only to prevent and punish deprivation of life by criminal acts, but also to prevent arbitrary killing by their own security forces. The deprivation of life by the authorities of the State is a matter of the utmost gravity.” (para. 3). Most importantly, at the 2005 Summit, world leaders accepted the responsibility to protect populations from crimes against humanity and other international crimes, including incitement to those crimes, and committed to act in accordance with it. (A/RES/60/1, paras. 138-139). In light of the above, I again urge your Excellency’s Government to immediately put an end to the use of force against the civilian population. I call for an immediate cease-fire and for the cessation of violence from all sides to prevent further losses. Prompt, independent and impartial investigations should be initiated for victims to know the truth about the events and for perpetrators and those inciting such attacks to be held to account. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Christof Heyns Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions 3 .