To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the UN General Assembly adopting resolution 71/248 establishing an independent mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for war crimes committed in Syria, what steps they will take to ensure that its terms of reference are wide enough to cover crimes committed by anti-government groups of all kinds.
Answered on
30 March 2017
The terms of reference, which have been approved by the UN Secretary General, set out that the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism will assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons without any distinction based on their affiliation or official capacity. The Mechanism will look at those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011.