In this document Amnesty International briefs members of the Human Rights Committee about the human rights situation in Syria. Issues of concern include arbitrary arrest and detention; torture and ill-treatment; unfair trials; and the death penalty. Amnesty also welcomes the Syrian Government’s decision to submit its second periodic report on its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which AI regards as a positive development indicating growing interest in human rights promotion and protection by the Syrian authorities.