New York: Qatar, on behalf of nearly 60 UN members, has submitted a draft resolution to the General Assembly on the situation of human rights in Syria.
Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the UN, presented the resolution to the Third Committee of the Assembly, concerned with social and human rights, on behalf of the states which have adopt the draft.
In a statement, she said the resolution aimed to address serious violations of human rights and international law in Syria, where the human rights situation continues to deteriorate.
She stressed the need to condemn indiscriminate killings and deliberate targeting of civilians as a violation of international humanitarian law.
The resolution, she said, expresses alarm over the escalation of violence and its victims, including refugees, and violations of human rights and international law, particularly the Syrian authorities using heavy weapons, air strikes and explosive barrels and starving civilians.
The draft also addresses issues such as sexual violence, child abuse, forced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture, prevention of humanitarian assistance, the differentiation between civilian and military targets, and the issue of accountability for violations of international law, she said.
Sheikha Alia said the draft also highlights extremism and terrorism and condemns terrorist acts and violations of international law by any party to the conflict, especially the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, and Syria and militia fighting for the regime, terrorist groups linked to Al Qaeda and other extremist groups.
The committee is expected to vote on the draft next week and submit it to the General Assembly for vote next month.
QNA
