Cairo 18 April 2011   The Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) has followed with great concern the serious developments that the popular intifada for reform witnessed in Syria.
In the past five days, the situation in Syria deteriorated as the Syrian authorities' insisted on employing excessive force, including live ammunition, against peaceful demonstrations calling for reform in a continuous violation of the rules of using force in civil disorders.
The AOHR regrets the persistence of Syrian authorities on involving a ‘third party’ in opening fire on the peaceful demonstrators in disregard of their legal obligations on protecting civilians and of their criminal responsibility towards the killing of protestors.
The AOHR strongly condemns the systematic killing of peaceful demonstrators in Syria.
The AOHR asserts the importance of initiating an independent, impartial, and transparent judicial investigations into these crimes.
The investigations must ensure that those who are responsible for these crimes are brought to justice.
The AOHR calls for the immediate release of all detainees and those who are detained for their holding opposing opinions.
It also calls on the Syrian Government to uphold its obligation and to promptly stop enforcing the 'Emergency Law'; to allow the people to enjoy their right to peaceful protest; and to initiate a serious national dialogue to respond to the national legitimate demands of political reform, freedom, and dignity.
The AOHR reminds the Syrian authorities of their human rights obligations.
The AOHR asserts that grave violations of human rights, which have according to human rights organizations in Syria, lead to the killing of about 300 persons, cannot be tolerated.
The AOHR calls on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to end the gross and blatant violations of human rights and take effective measures to prevent further killings in the future.
**** For more information please contact: Alaa Shalaby Executive Director – Member, Board of Trustees Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) 91 Merghani St.
, Heliopolis, Cairo 11341 Egypt Tel +202 24181396 Fax +202 24185346 Mobile +2 010 6488987 Ala.
shalaby@hotmail.
com – Aladinchalabi@yahoo.
com www.
aohr.
net