EMHRN – The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network – mener, at EU skal tvinge de syriske myndigheder til at standse undertrykkelsen af den fredelige protestbevægelse ved at vedtage en række sanktioner. Situationen er nu så alvorlig, at de europæiske ledere ikke længere kan nøjes med fordømmende udtalelser.
Copenhagen 29 April 2011. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) calls on the European Union to urgently adopt sanctions to respond to the continuous escalation of violence used by the Syrian authorities to repress the peaceful movement of protest.
“The Syrian people have addressed a clear message to their government, claiming they will no longer tolerate the climate of fear and impunity for the security forces”, said EMHRN president, Kamel Jendoubi. “The EU must relay this legitimate claim by taking concrete measures to force the Syrian authorities to immediately cease the repression and shed light into what appears as international crimes”.
Since mid-March, more than 400 civilians have been killed in relation with their participation in the obviously peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations. In addition to this, hundreds have been wounded, mainly as a consequence of the disproportionate use of the force by the Syrian authorities to disperse demonstrators.
As for today, the security forces are still conducting massive crackdowns and arbitrary arrests across the country. Hundreds of persons have been detained including journalists, physicians, trade unionists and human rights defenders. Ill treatments and torture appear to be systematic.
The repression has crossed a new line in the last few days as military forces and security services have been deployed in a number of cities, shelling and raiding civilian housings indiscriminately. Electricity and water supplies were cut off in a number of cases, as well as communications means in a bid to prevent dissemination of information on the situation in the field.
On 28 April, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a common position on the violent crackdown. “The situation has become too grave for European leaders to limit themselves to condemnation statements” stated EMHRN president Kamel Jendoubi.
“The EU must now assume its responsibilities by imposing sanctions on all persons who may be involved in these crimes and take appropriate measures to ensure that those who are responsible be accountable.”
At the occasion of the special session convened on Friday 29 April to discuss the human rights situation in Syria, the UN Human Rights Council should establish an international investigation mechanism into severe human rights violations perpetrated in the country since the beginning of the protests.
The EMHRN urges the European Union to adopt appropriate sanctions in order to put an end to the repression in Syria, including freezing assets of Syrian officials involved in the repression, imposing embargo on arms trade with Syria and take concrete measures to support human rights activists and civilians.
For more information, please contact:
Henriette Irminger Sonne, EMHRN, communications officer (Danish, English, French): +4530828337
