U.S. Must Lead an International Effort to End Gross Human Rights Violations in Syria

Washington, DC – Human Rights First condemns the mounting crackdown against protesters calling for greater freedom and more representative government in Syria.  Today the military assault on the town of Dara’a continued with civilian casualties running into the hundreds. These events follow days of serious conflicts in towns and cities throughout the country. Hundreds have been killed and many more taken into detention. “The world must act now to make clear its absolute condemnation of the violent repression of protesters calling for the universal rights to which they are entitled,” said Human Rights First’s Neil Hicks. “Failure to act will result in more violence and more civilian casualties.” Human Rights First today said the U.S. government should lead an international effort to put an end to the brutal repression of the Syrian people by President Bashar al-Assad and his government. It noted that the United States should support and advocate for the unanimous adoption of a U.N. Security Council Resolution condemning the gross violations of human rights perpetrated by the Syrian security forces. It should also impose targeted sanctions against President Assad and his associates implicated in the brutal repression of  civilian protesters and support calls for the U.N. to establish an international commission of inquiry into the mass violations taking place in Syria over the past few weeks that are continuing and intensifying. Hicks concluded, “Those responsible for these mass violations must be held accountable for their actions.”