The U.N. human rights chief ramped up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday, accusing his government of launching an “indiscriminate attack” on civilians and other grave human rights violations in its suppression of pro-democracy protests.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the February 4 veto by Russia and China of a draft Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian government and endorsing an Arab League plan for Assad to step aside had only encouraged Damascus to intensify its attacks on civilians.
“The failure of the Security Council to agree on firm collective action appears to have emboldened the Syrian government to launch an all-out assault in an effort to crush dissent with overwhelming force,” Pillay told the 193-nation U.N. General Assembly.
Her speech again raised the possibility that the Syrian government, which for 11 months has used its security forces to attack protesters opposed to Assad, was committing serious human rights violations that amounted to “crimes against humanity.”
Full story: Syria launched “indiscriminate attack” on civilians: U.N.