SWITZERLAND: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Spokesman describes "worrying reports" of arrests and deaths in Middle East unrest as up to 850 Syrians may have been killed in the two-month military crackdown.

Record ID: 279768

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Spokesman describes "worrying reports" of arrests and deaths in Middle East unrest as up to 850 Syrians may have been killed in the two-month military crackdown.
  • Date: 14th May 2011
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MAY 13, 2011) (REUTERS) WIDE VIEW OF MEETING ROOM JOURNALISTS RUPERT COLVILLE, SPOKESMAN OF THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, ENTERING AND TAKING SEAT (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUPERT COLVILLE, SPOKESMAN OF THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, SAYING: "NGO (non-government organisation) reports suggest that somewhere between 700 and
  • Embargoed: 29th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland, Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4V15BA559MLMSJ3I0UTA719T3
  • Story Text: The death toll in Syria may be as high as 850 and thousands of demonstrators have been arrested during a two-month military crackdown, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday (May 13).
    "We again call on the government to exercise restraint, to cease use of force and mass arrests to silence opponents," Rupert Colville, spokesman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a news briefing.
    The toll of 700-to-850 dead, based on information provided by human rights activists, was "quite likely to be genuine", he added.
    Colville voiced concern about arrest and torture of dissidents in Bahrain, including the death of four detainees while in custody.
    "We also have worrying reports of severe torture and also that, so far, four detainees have died in custody. We reiterate our call to the Bahraini authorities for prompt, impartial and transparent investigations of grave human rights violations. We are deeply concerned about the reported scale of arbitrary detention and of the trials of civilians before military courts leading to sentences of life imprisonment and death sentences which we've already said is illegal," Colville said.
    Syria has blamed most of the violence on 'terrorist groups' backed by Islamists and foreign agitators. But a rights campaigner, speaking ahead of Friday prayers that have become a rallying point for protesters, said President Bashar al-Assad has ordered troops not to fire on pro-democracy demonstrators.
    A high-level U.N. human rights mission was preparing to go to Syria, as well as neighbouring countries, but had not yet received a reply from Damascus, according to Colville.
    Colville also announced that Yemen had accepted a visit by a U.N. human rights mission, suggesting a date of late June.
    END
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