United Nations Human Rights Council issues a resolution calling for disclosure of fates of disappeared in Syria

GENEVA — The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) issued a resolution calling for the disclosure of the fates of people disappeared by the Syrian regime over the course of the decade-long civil war.

The resolution was presented by the U.S., European Union, and United Kingdom. It was approved by 26 countries and opposed by 6, including Russia and China, with 15 countries abstaining.

The new resolution condemns the enforced disappearances and human rights violations committed by the Syrian regime and other parties to the conflict in Syria. It also stressed the need to identify those responsible for committing these violations within the context of the peace negotiations.

It also referred to the observations of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which stated that the Syrian regime forces had engaged in forced disappearances to spread fear among its opponents and punish them. The Commission reported that tens of thousands of Syrians have been disappeared by the regime.