Belarus Voted In UN Against War Crimes Investigation In Syria

The document, prepared by Liechtenstein and Qatar, was supported by 105 countries, including representatives of the West.

The UN General Assembly has ordered to create "an impartial and independent mechanism", which will be charged to collect and analyze evidence of crimes, committed during the conflict in Syria, in order to facilitate possible future criminal proceedings in the national or international courts. The corresponding resolution was adopted by a majority of votes on Wednesday. Belarus voted against the resolution, TASS reports.

The document, prepared by Liechtenstein and Qatar, was supported by 105 countries, including representatives of the West. 15 countries, including Russia, Venezuela, China, Cuba, Iran, Syria and other countries, including Belarus, voted against the decision.

Another 52 delegations, mostly the African Union members, abstained.

The Assembly decided to establish the mechanism under the auspices of the United Nations to closely cooperate with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses and to prepare files in order to facilitate and expedite fair and independent criminal proceedings, in accordance with international law standards, in national, regional or international courts or tribunals that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over these crimes, in accordance with international law.

The Assembly requested the UN Secretary-General to determine the parameters of the mechanism within 20 days, as well as "to take immediate steps, measures and actions" necessary to commence full operation. The resolution stresses that this mechanism will initially be financed through voluntary contributions and coordinate its actions with the established by decision of the UN Human Rights Council Human independent commission on investigating the events in Syria. The General Assembly called upon all states and parties to the conflict in the Middle East country to "cooperate fully" with the created structure and commission of inquiry.

It is to be reminded that on December 20, the Belarusian delegation at the UN tried to block the resolution, condemning the actions of the Russian authorities in the occupied Crimea.