HRW urges Syria to stop repression after it withdraws UN rights council bid‎

HRW urges Syria to stop repression after it withdraws UN rights council bid‎

2011-05-12 05:12:20 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) -- Human Rights Watch on Wednesday called on Syria to end its violent crackdown on peaceful protests after the Middle Eastern country withdrew its candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

"This election had become a referendum on Syria's violent suppression of protests, and Syria withdrew rather than face a resounding defeat," said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "Syria needs to do more than keep its head low to avoid further condemnation, though; it needs to change course and stop the violence."

Human rights groups from across the world had called on General Assembly members to reject Syria's candidacy for the rights body. Last year, all regional groups put forward what are called "clean" states since council members are expected to "uphold the highest standards" of human rights.

"The pre-cooked nature of elections to the Human Rights Council is a major problem, as Syria's candidacy shows," Hicks said. "States collude to avoid any competition in Human Rights Council elections, which benefits human rights abusers like Syria."

On April 27, the Human Rights Council was briefed on the situation in Syria, but it took no action. Days later, however, it condemned Syria's use of lethal violence against peaceful protesters and asked the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate the ongoing human rights violations.

"The Security Council should take action on Syria, including imposing travel bans and financial sanctions on those responsible for the violence," Hicks added.

According to Human Rights Watch, Syria's security forces have killed some 700 people since demonstrations began on March 16. More than 100 protesters were killed on April 22 and 23 alone, and at least several thousand detained.

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