04 May 2011

Syria: Human Rights Council passes resolution on Syria as death toll rises

Human-Rights-Council

Alkarama applauds the UN Human Rights Council for passing resolution S-16/1, at its special session on Syria on 29 April 2011, formally condemning the Syrian government for its use of force against peaceful pro-democracy protestors. An overwhelming majority of member states voted for the opening of an OHCHR-led investigation into the human rights abuses in the country, including the extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and arbitrary arrests of civilians by Syrian security forces.

Overshadowing the special session, however, came newly verified reports of the deaths of a further 219 individuals at the hands of Syrian authorities between 27 and 19 April, which Alkarama communicated to the UN special procedures today. Since 20 March 2011, Alkarama has submitted 472 cases of extrajudicial killings to the UN human rights procedures - the total has now risen to 691 confirmed deaths.

The Human Rights Council has called upon the Syrian government to "immediately put an end to all human rights violations, protect its population, and respect fully all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly; further urges the authorities to allow access to the Internet and telecommunications networks and to lift censorship on reporting, including by allowing appropriate access by foreign journalists."

Participation from Arab member states to the Human Right Council was relatively sparse during special session. Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain were all absent at the time of the vote, while Saudi Arabia and Djibouti both abstained. Perhaps the significant fact is that no Arab member state technically voted against the resolution.

The concerning aspect of the current human rights situation in Syria is not only limited to the number of killings carried about by the Syrian authorities, but the sheer volume and variety of human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and persecution of journalists and human rights defenders working to report on the current situation. Alkarama has for example documented at least 1200 arrests since protests began in mid-March 2011.

As the situation becomes dangerously violative, Alkarama is now receiving reports that Syria hospitals and ambulances are being targeted by Syrian security agents. Many of the doctors have resorted to using veterinarian offices and make-shift surgery rooms to treat injured patients.

Despite international condemnation, the Syrian government has done very little to resolve the deteriorating human rights situation plaguing its cities. While some thought that the violence and suppression would subsist when Syria approved a bill to rescind the country's decades-old Emergency Law on 19 April 2011, the security services responded by targeting a funeral procession with lethal force, killing at least six, before attacking peaceful demonstrators in the capital Damascus, killing at least 100.

In the light of the widespread pattern of human rights abuses in Syria, Alkarama calls on the Syrian government to respect the measures indicated in the Human Rights Council's Resolution S-16/1 and immediately refrain from using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, release all prisoners of conscience and peaceful protestors, and cooperate fully with the mission to be dispatched by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate allegations of human rights violations.

Mauritania - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Due on 01.11.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 20.11.2013

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: Yes
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): No
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 31.05.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 18.06.2013

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

CED: Ratified on 03.10.2012
Art. 33 (Inquiry procedure): Yes

State report: Overdue since 03.11.2014
Last concluding observations: N/A

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 11.2010 (1st cycle)
Next review: 2015 (2nd cycle)

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme (CNDH) – Status A

Last review: 05.2011
Next review: 2016