Geneva, SANA-The chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, called for the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Syria and the removal of other obstacles to recovery and reconstruction.
In a speech delivered before the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, Pinheiro said that Syrians face a great opportunity to chart a new future for their country, and that they must decide what steps they will take regarding accountability, uncovering the truth, searching for missing persons, and reform.
“Syria’s future will be determined by how the Syrian authorities and people deal with past and recent violations,” Pinheiro said, noting that the wounds left by decades of dictatorship and human rights violations under the former regime were not expected to heal quickly.
Pinheiro noted that the Syrian government granted the Independent Commission of Inquiry prompt access to Syria, which provided an opportunity to hold preliminary discussions with the new administration on a number of human rights issues and to visit prisons and centers used by the former regime, where acts of torture and executions of civilians were documented. He emphasized that these visits confirmed the strength and resilience of the Syrian people.
He also hoped to meet with the independent commission of inquiry into the events on the Syrian coast and for it to present comprehensive findings to the Syrians and their government.
Manar Salameh
