Syria: ICRC calls for respect for human life by UN News, IRIN News & agencies 8:40am 3rd May, 2011   15 June 2011    Citing reports of abuses, UN human rights office urges probe into Syria.    The United Nations human rights office has called for a thorough probe into the allegations of widespread abuses committed by Syrian authorities during their violent crackdown against protesters, including the excessive use of force against civilians, arbitrary detentions and torture.    “The most egregious reports concern the use of live ammunition against unarmed civilians, including from snipers positioned on rooftops of public buildings, and the deployment of tanks in areas densely populated by civilians,” states a preliminary report prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that was released today.    “As of mid-June, the number of those killed during such incidents is believed to have exceeded 1,100 persons, many of them unarmed civilians; among them were women and children,” it added.    Syrian authorities have been widely criticised for their bloody repression of the protests, which are part of a broader uprising this year across North Africa and the Middle East that has already toppled the long-standing regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and led to ongoing conflict in Libya.    Given that OHCHR has been unable to deploy staff on the ground in Syria, the report, which covers the period from 15 March to 15 June, is based on information received from UN partners, human rights defenders, civil society groups, media groups and a small number of victims and eyewitnesses from Syria.    In addition to the use of live ammunition, arbitrary detentions have been carried out by the Syrian authorities on a “massive” scale, with reports indicating that up to 10,000 people have been detained since mid-March.    The report adds that while women and children were among those detained, human rights defenders, political activists and journalists were particularly targeted.    OHCHR has also received information indicating that Syrian security forces have perpetrated acts of torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment against detainees, resulting in death in custody in some cases.    Reports of alleged violations of the rights to freedom of assembly, expression, and movement, and of the rights to food and health have also been received.    “The material currently before the High Commissioner is a matter of grave concern and reflects a dire human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. The alleged breaches of the most fundamental rights on such a broad scale require thorough investigation and, with respect to the perpetrators, full accountability,” states the report.    May 2011    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for better humanitarian access to the southern Syrian city of Deraa, which has been hit by political violence, and where food, water and medical supplies have also run short.    "The violence has resulted in a large number of casualties and we fear that if the situation worsens, more lives will be lost," said Marianne Gasser, head of the ICRC delegation in Damascus. "It is urgent that emergency medical services, first aid workers and others performing life saving tasks swiftly reach those in need."    The city, described by various sources as the epicentre of pro-reform protests, has had its electricity and communications cut since 26 April.    The warning came days after the Human Rights Council, an inter-governmental body in the UN system, adopted a resolution calling on the Syrian government to end human rights violations, protect its population, fully respect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, allow access to the internet and telecommunications networks, and lift censorship on reporting.    According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), a conflict resolution body, Syria is "quickly going beyond the point of no return". "By denouncing all forms of protest as sedition, and dealing with them through escalating violence, the regime is closing the door on any possible honourable exit to a deepening national crisis," the ICG warned.    "With little the international community can do, the optimal outcome is one whose chances are dwindling by the day: an immediate end to the violence and a genuine national dialogue to pave the way for a transition to a representative, democratic political order."    Reports say protestors against the government of President Bashar al-Assad have faced violent repression by security forces. On 1 May, 499 were arrested in Deraa, according to Amnesty International, which also said it had received first-hand reports of torture and other ill-treatment from detainees.    "These disturbing new accounts of detainees being tortured further underscore the need for President Bashar al-Assad to put an end to his security forces violent onslaught against his own people," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International"s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.    "The use of unwarranted lethal force, arbitrary detention and torture appear to be the desperate actions of a government that is intolerant of dissent and must be halted immediately. Syrians must be allowed to voice their calls for change peacefully."    29 April 2011 (UN News)    The United Nations Human Rights Council today voted for a mission to be sent to Syria to investigate alleged violations of international human rights law and crimes committed against civilians in the Middle East country, where hundreds of people have been killed during weeks of unrest.    Condemning the use of deadly violence against peaceful demonstrators and the “hindrance of access to medical treatment,” the Council urged the Syrian Government to protect civilians and respect fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression and assembly.    It also called for the restoration of access to the Internet and other communication networks, the lifting of media censorship and to allow foreign journalists into the country.    In a resolution supported by 26 of the Council’s 47 Member States, the Geneva-based panel requested that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights dispatch a mission to Syria to investigate alleged violations. Nine Member States voted against the resolution, seven abstained and four were absent.    The Council “calls upon the Syrian Government to cooperate fully with and grant access to personnel from the mission dispatched by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” the text said.    It deeply regretted the deaths of hundreds of people in the ongoing political protests and voiced grave concern over the alleged deliberate killings, arrests and incidents of torture of demonstrators by the Syrian authorities.    The Council called upon authorities to immediately free all prisoners of conscience and people arbitrarily detained, including those held before the recent events, and called for an end to intimidation, persecution and arbitrary arrests of lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists.    In addition, the Council urged the Syrian authorities to refrain from reprisals against people who have taken part in peaceful demonstrations, and stressed the need for credible and impartial investigation and prosecution of those responsible for attacks on the protesters.    It appealed to authorities to enlarge the scope of political participation to strengthen social justice and ensure civil liberties.    In her statement to the Council, before the resolution was adopted, Kyung-wha Kang, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that information gathered since mid-March painted a disturbing picture.    This included the widespread use of live fire ammunition against protesters; the arrest, detention and disappearance of demonstrators, human rights defenders, and journalists; and torture and ill-treatment of detainees. More than 450 people have reportedly been killed and three times that number injured.    There was also repression of press freedoms and other means of communication and attacks against medical personnel, facilities and patients.‘Yet even these deplorable practices have been exceeded over the past week. According to reports, entire towns have been besieged. Tanks have been deployed and shelled densely-populated areas,” said Ms. Kang.    “The delivery of food has been impeded. Access to electricity has been cut. And transportation systems have been shut down. There have been reports of snipers firing on persons attempting to assist the injured or remove dead bodies from public areas,” she added.    Ms. Kang noted that Syria is a State party to nearly all of the core international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.“Thus, Syria must ensure that the rights to life, liberty and security of person are protected in all circumstances, including in the context of efforts to maintain law and order,” she said.    21-04-2011    Syria: ICRC calls for respect for human life.    With several Syrian cities in the grip of protests and violence, Béatrice Mégevand-Roggo, the ICRC"s head of operations for the Near and Middle East, speaks about ICRC support for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the challenges ahead.    What are the main concerns arising from the current situation in Syria?    Protests and violence have reportedly resulted in a large number of fatalities and injuries. The ICRC is concerned that more lives might be lost if the violence continues.    At this point, the ICRC urges all those engaged in the violence to respect human life and dignity at all times and to exercise maximum restraint.    Medical personnel and Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers providing first aid and evacuating victims must be allowed to carry out their life-saving tasks. Access to the injured must not be arbitrarily obstructed. Their ambulances, vehicles, and facilities must be respected by all while they perform their humanitarian duties.    What action is the ICRC taking?    The ICRC has been coordinating its response with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, its main partner, which coordinates humanitarian activities in the country. So far, the Red Crescent has been able to reach the protest areas, provide first aid and evacuate some of the injured. Volunteers are doing their best in very difficult circumstances to bring care to everyone who needs it.    The ICRC has delivered urgently needed supplies such as first aid kits, stretchers and emergency response equipment to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Plans are afoot to provide Red Crescent volunteers with further training. Our organization stands ready to do more both for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and for the country"s medical services if needed.    We also stand ready to provide expertise and assistance in detainee-related matters, as we have done in other countries in the region and beyond. We are already visiting detainees in Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria – to mention just a few of the places where we carry out activities of this kind. Our findings and observations are shared solely with the authorities concerned.    Is it dangerous for volunteers and others providing care to perform their tasks?    Emergency personnel are often the first to arrive at the scene of violence. It is critical that they be allowed to perform their tasks without delay and in safety. Medical staff and Red Crescent personnel are protected under both domestic and international law.    Obviously, the aim of first responders is to treat the injured and, if necessary, take them to hospital. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure that those who need life-saving medical care receive it.    What else does the ICRC do in Syria?    The ICRC has been working in Syria since Israel first occupied the Golan, in 1967. It focuses on alleviating the effects of occupation on Syrian citizens in the Golan, helping Syrians and Iraqis in Syria to restore and maintain contact with their families abroad, visiting Syrians detained abroad, and providing clean drinking water for some of the most vulnerable communities in the drought-stricken north-east.    The ICRC also endeavours to raise awareness of international humanitarian law within the government, the military, academia and elsewhere. Visit the related web page
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