syria-un-20111123 24

A/HRC/S-17/2/Add.1 24 Annexes Annex I Terms of reference of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic Mandate 1. In its resolution S-17/1, the Human Rights Council decided to dispatch urgently an independent, international commission of inquiry: (a) To investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic; (b) To establish the facts and circumstances that may amount to such violations and of the crimes perpetrated including those that may constitute crimes against humanity; (c) To identify, where possible, those responsible with a view to ensuring that perpetrators of violations are held accountable; (d) To make public the report of the commission as soon as possible, and in any case before the end of November 2011; (e) To present a written update to the report on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic at the nineteenth session of the Human Rights Council, in an interactive dialogue with the participation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2. The Human Rights Council decided to transmit the report of the commission and its update to the General Assembly, and recommended that the Assembly transmit the reports to all relevant bodies of the United Nations. Cooperation of Syrian authorities 3. The Human Rights Council called upon the Syrian Arab Republic to cooperate fully with the commission of inquiry. 4. In accordance with established good practices, such cooperation shall include compliance with requests of the commission for assistance in collecting the required information and testimony. The Syrian Arab Republic should, in particular, guarantee the commission: • Freedom of movement throughout its territory • Freedom of access to all places and establishments, including prisons and detention centres of relevance to the work of the commission • Freedom of access to all sources of information, including documentary material and physical evidence, freedom to interview representatives of governmental and military authorities, community leaders, civil society and, in principle, any individual whose testimony is considered necessary for the fulfilment of its mandate • Appropriate security arrangements for the personnel, documents, premises and other property of the commissio