The United Nations Office at Geneva

Multimedia Newsroom

Edited News Press Conferences Statements Images B-roll Conferences Upcoming All Stories
Register Login
HRC Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic
/
7:52
/
MP4
/
580.6 MB

Edited News , Press Conferences | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence briefing on Greece

ENG
  1. Exterior shot: Palais des Nations, Geneva.
  2. Wide shot: wide shot press conference
  3. Soundbite (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The appalling loss of life in the Mediterranean Sea was an horrific tragedy, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk hassaid today.”
  4. Cut away: briefing room.
  5. Soundbite (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The High Commissioner expressed his condolences to those who have lost loved ones – 78 people are known to have died and up to 500 are missing, among them large numbers of women and children. He stressed his solidarity with the survivors and the families of the victims.”
  6. Cut away: briefing room.
  7. Soundbite (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “What happened on Wednesday underscores the need to investigate people smugglers and human traffickers and ensure they are brought to justice, the UN Human Rights Chief said.”
  8. Cut away: briefing room.
  9. Soundbite (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The High Commissioner reiterated his call to States to open up more regular migration channels, enhance responsibility-sharing, ensure arrangements for the safe and timely disembarkation of all people rescued at sea, and establish independent monitoring and oversight of migration-related policies and practices.”

 

“The appalling loss of life in the Mediterranean Sea was an horrific tragedy, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has said,” he said.

 

“The High Commissioner expressed his condolences to those who have lost loved ones – 78 people are known to have died and up to 500 are missing, among them large numbers of women and children. He stressed his solidarity with the survivors and the families of the victims,” Laurence said.

 

“What happened on Wednesday underscores the need to investigate people smugglers and human traffickers and ensure they are brought to justice, the UN Human Rights Chief said,” he said.

 

“The High Commissioner reiterated his call to States to open up more regular migration channels, enhance responsibility-sharing, ensure arrangements for the safe and timely disembarkation of all people rescued at sea, and establish independent monitoring and oversight of migration-related policies and practices,” the spokesperson said in conclusion.

 

 

For more information and media requests, please contact: 

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or 

Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or 

Jeremy Laurence +  +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org or

Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org

 

Tag and share

Twitter @UNHumanRights

Facebook unitednationshumanrights

Instagram @unitednationshumanrights

 

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

 

Teleprompter
Let us proceed with the draught proposal L16 entitled Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, and I would like to invite the delegation of the United Kingdom to introduce the text there before.
Thank you very much, Mr.
President, and I have the honour to present Draught Resolution L 16 on the human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic on behalf of France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Qatar, Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom.
[Other language spoken]
President, the recent earthquakes have had a devastating impact on the Syrian people and will continue to do so for years to come.
So we welcome efforts by the UN to ensure humanitarian aid reaches all those affected, and we reiterate our condolences to the victims and the survivors.
We're appalled, though not entirely surprised, that the Syrian regime attempted to use the disaster for political gain.
These events also did not occur in a vacuum.
It is a natural disaster within a man made tragedy which has unfolded over the last 12 years.
The latest Commission of Enquiry report explains clearly how Assad continues to inflict unimaginable pain and acts of violence on his own people.
In our resolution, we highlight these persistent violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Syria.
Homes, schools, markets, farms, nowhere seems safe from the target ******* on civilians and their livelihoods.
The so-called amnesty laws have yet to result in any further clarity on the 10s of thousands of individuals forcibly disappeared and those detained under appalling conditions.
**** and other forms of sexual and gender based violence are aimed to be widespread yet under reported due to a woeful absence of paths for redress and support for survivors.
[Other language spoken]
President, the resolution we put forward today condemns the continued violence inflicted on the Syrian people, demands a huge monetarian aid is unimpeded and that it reaches its intended recipients.
It supports the timely implementation of a humanitarian mechanism to clarify the fates of the missing and demands support and justice for victims of sexual and gender based violence.
And it seeks to renew the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry, whose excellent work remains vital for ensuring accountability.
So let me thank all of those in this room who have engaged constructively in the informal consultations on this draught resolution.
[Other language spoken]
President, at a time when the Syrian people face devastation anew, it's vital that this Council adopts this resolution to continue our efforts to hold those responsible to account, and if a vote is called on this resolution, I urge our fellow members of this Council to vote in favour of it.
[Other language spoken]
So gonna say the race Mr.
[Other language spoken]
And have you?
The Syrian people.
Of draught resolution.
The traffic.
Solely responsible.
The Council will now proceed to a recorded vote on the draught proposal of 16 and I asked the Secretariat to open the voting machine and I'm asking the locations to register their votes.
So, could you please check if your votes are registered and reflected properly on the screen?
If that is the case, let me ask the Secretary to close the voting machine and the voting is now closed.
The results of the recorded votes are as follows.
26 in favour, 5 against and 16 abstentions.
The draught proposal L 16 is therefore adopted.
Copies of the results of the votes will be shortly uploaded on the extra net.