The Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, welcomed the recent steps and efforts taken by the Syrian government to uncover the fate of thousands of forcibly disappeared and missing persons.
The UN News website quoted Pinheiro as saying in his address to the 59th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva: “I expect the establishment of the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons in Syria to provide the necessary support and redress to survivors, victims, and their relatives,” considering that “this is a very difficult task for any government to undertake.”
Pineiro called on the international community to support the Syrian government, saying: “The authorities’ repeated commitments to protect the rights of all in Syria without discrimination are encouraging and should be met with the necessary support from the international community.”
He pointed to the internal challenges and grievances that Syria has witnessed in recent years, many of which have been exacerbated by external interventions.
He considered the lifting of sanctions on Syria an encouraging step.
Pinheiro warned of the consequences of repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory.