Thank you Mr. President,

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU and expresses its deepest appreciation for the Commission of Inquiry.   

The Netherlands is deeply concerned about reports, including by the Commission, of ongoing arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and deaths in detention perpetrated by the Syrian regime. 

It is imperative that the Syrian authorities take immediate and effective actions to end the ongoing violations, that the perpetrators are held to account and that victims obtain justice. The Netherlands recalls, in this regard, the International Court of Justice's order on provisional measures in the case brought by Canada and the Netherlands against Syria under the Convention against Torture.

The human rights violations also extend to returnees, as highlighted in a recent report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This underscores that Syria does not yet offer a safe and stable environment for returns, a reality also confirmed by findings of the Commission of Inquiry. The Netherlands supports UNHCR's call on the Syrian authorities to create conditions necessary to enable the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees and displaced persons.

Dear members of the Commission, the Netherlands does not regard the conditions anywhere in Syria conducive to return, however, given recent statements and debates on the subject, do you see any relevant developments in conditions for return for refugees in Syria?