88 killed during detention by Syrian government, rights group claims

[News_Editor]

88 killed during detention by Syrian government, rights group claims

2011-09-01 00:54:29 GMT+7 (ICT)

LONDON (BNO NEWS) -- Rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday said it has documented the cases of at least 88 people who have allegedly died in detention in Syria since April, shortly after the anti-government protests began in mid-March.

The London-based rights group said all of the victims were male, with some as young as 13. In at least 52 cases, the victims' bodies showed evidence of torture or other ill-treatment which caused or contributed to the deaths, the group said in a new report.

Amnesty International said it has seen video clips of 45 of the cases, which were taken by relatives, activists or other individuals. "Injuries on many of the victims' corpses indicate that they may have suffered horrendous beatings and other abuses. Signs indicating torture include burns, blunt force injuries, whipping marks and slashes," Amnesty said.

The rights group has called on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, to impose an arms embargo on Syria and to implement an asset freeze against President Bashar al-Assad and his senior associates.

"Taken in the context of the widespread and systematic violations taking place in Syria, we believe that these deaths in custody may include crimes against humanity," said Neil Sammonds, Amnesty International's researcher on Syria. "The response from the Security Council has been utterly inadequate so far, but it is not too late for them to take firm and legally binding action."

All the victims are believed to have been detained because they were involved, or suspected of being involved, in the pro-reform protests. Thousands of others have been arrested, with many held incommunicado at unknown locations at risk of torture or death, according to Amnesty.

Last week, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that more than 2,200 people have been killed in Syria since pro-democracy demonstrations began in mid-March as part of a broader uprising across North Africa and the Middle East that has led to the toppling of entrenched regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and conflict in Libya. More than 350 people have reportedly been killed since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on August 1.

The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that the violent acts have been instigated by terrorists who use military uniforms and weaponry to pose as soldiers while attacking citizens but these claims have been rejected by residents, human rights groups, and the international community.

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