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Human Rights Council set to condemn Syria
A draft UN Human Rights Council resolution condemns widespread and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities, saying they have worsened the humanitarian situation in the country. The resolution says the regimes use of heavy artillery and tanks to attack civilian areas has contributed to the deaths of thousands of people since March.
The task of the council is to express the disgust of the entire world at the odious crimes that the Syrian state is committing against its people, Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, said at the opening of the Geneva bodys four-week session, which was dominated by the issue of Syria. We cannot remain silent in the face of the violence and the barbarity of the repression, the massacre of civilians, the bombing of towns, the torture of children, and wounded people being killed in hospital, he said. Juppe called for countries to prepare to submit a complaint against Syria to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Calls for Syria to be referred to the ICC will not be included in Tuesdays resolution, but may be revisited by the council next month. A panel of UN experts issued a report last week concluding that Syrian government officials were responsible for crimes against humanity committed by security forces against opposition members. The crimes included shelling civilians, executing deserters and torturing detainees. Some opposition groups, too, had committed gross abuses, it said. The panel has compiled a confidential list of top-level Syrian officials who could face prosecution over the atrocities. Britains Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne also called for those responsible for serious crimes in Syria to be held to account. But he refrained from calling outright for ICC referral. The mechanism by which that happens can be discussed in time, but we are absolutely certain that it should happen, Browne told The Associated Press. He acknowledged that sending Syria to the Hague tribunal was certainly an option though. Russia, which has previously used its Security Council veto to block action against Syria, would likely veto ICC referral as well. On Monday, Russia, Iran and Cuba were the only countries to openly object to the rights councils plan to hold an urgent human rights meeting Tuesday on Syria. Russia later relented, but maintained its opposition to any resolution condemning Syrias leadership. I think the Russians are putting themselves on the wrong side of history, Browne told the AP. Hundreds of people are being killed in places like Homs. Do they (Russia) feel morally comfortable with that? What are they proposing to do about it?
Posted by: Steve White 2012-02-28 |
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