Syria: NRPTT, NPWJ and HoC urge ICC investigation

Brussels, Rome – 1 August 2011

 
The Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational  and Transparty ("NRPTT"),  No Peace Without Justice ("NPWJ") and Hands Off Cain ("HoC") firmly condemn the bloodshed and attacks against civilians that have killed and injured hundreds of Syrians in the last months. The violence unleashed against citizens who are exercising their democratic human rights is unwarranted, unprecedented and unacceptable and demands that those responsible be held to account.
 
“The situation in Syria clearly constitutes a threat to international peace and security, all the more because it gives courage to others who would seek to quell the thirst for democracy and human rights in the region through force, violence and fear. President Bashar al-Assad has made it very clear that he does not intend to stop, but intends to continue the bloodshed until all opposition to his tyrannical rule is squashed. Impunity for the al-Assad regime will only encourage further violence. 
 
“The United Nations Security Council must recognise this and must act: it must shoulder the burden of its responsibility under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and refer the situation in Syria to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. The international community should provide their full and complete support for an International Criminal Court investigation into the events, including providing 
 
“Earlier this month, the UN Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and on the Responsibility to Protect already stated that certain acts, like the ones witnessed most recently in Hama, when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population amount to crimes against humanity, and may also constitute other crimes under international law. These acts need to be investigated immediately, by an independent and impartial institution, like the ICC; even now, the ICC Prosecutor should be monitoring events in Syria, to be ready if the Court is given jurisdiction over those events. This is critical to preserve information about crimes potentially being committed right now and to put people on notice that this is unacceptable conduct for which there will be consequences. If, as we suspect, that investigation finds credible evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed, those who bear the greatest responsibility for those crimes must be held accountable in a court of law.
 
“The people of Syria cannot wait: the international community and the International Criminal Court must act now. They must do so for the people of Syria and for the people of the region, whose long-awaited dream of living in democratic societies in full respect for the rule of law and human rights is finally coming to life. The international community owes it to them to ensure that the actions of one tyrant do not destroy the hopes, dreams and future of a region.”
 
Download the press release in French
 
For further information, contact Alison Smith on asmith@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3912 or Nicola Giovannini on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3915.