"We've never seen such horror"
Subtitle: crimes against humanity by Syrian security forces
Publisher: Human Rights Watch
Published: 2011
Place of publication: New York, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 54
ISBN-13: 9781564327789
Subjects: Victims of state-sponsored terrorism; Human rights; Protest movements; State-sponsored terrorism; Government policy; Detention of persons; Torture; Crimes against humanity; Massacres; Political violence
Other titles: Crimes against humanity by Syrian security forces; Syria, "we've never seen such horror"
Description: "Since the beginning of anti-government protests in March 2011, Syrian security forces have killed hundreds of protesters and arbitrarily arrested thousands, subjecting many of them to brutal torture in detention. The security forces routinely prevented the wounded from getting medical assistance, and imposed a siege on several towns, depriving the population of basic services.  This report, based on more than 50 interviews with witnesses and victims, focuses on the abuses in Daraa governorate in southwestern Syria, where some of the worst violence took place.  The nature and scale of abuses, which, as Human Rights Watch research indicates, were not only systematic but implemented as part of a state policy, strongly suggest these abuses qualify as crimes against humanity.  Human Rights Watch calls on the Syrian government to immediately halt the use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators and unconditionally release those arbitrarily arrested. It calls on the Security Council to push for investigation and prosecution of the grave systemic violations committed in Syria, and, failing the appropriate governmental steps to do so, refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court."--P. [4] of cover.
Notes: "June 2011"--P. following t.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

Also available via the Internet on the Human Rights Watch web site.
Table of contents: title: Summary; title: Note on Methodology; title: I. Timeline of Protest and Repression in Syria; title: II. Crimes against Humanity and Other Violations in Daraa; title: Systematic killings of protestors and bystanders; title: Killings during attack on al-Omari mosque and protests that followed, March 23-25, 2011; title: Killings during two protests on April 8, 2011; title: Killings during a protest and a funeral procession in Izraa, April 22-23, 2011; title: Killings during the siege of Daraa and neighboring villages and April 29 protest; title: Other incidents of killings in and around Daraa; title: Allegations of violence by protesters; title: Denial of medical assistance; title: Arbitrary arrests, "disappearances" and torture; title: Large-scale sweep operations; title: Torture and ill-treatment in detention; title: Targeted arrests and "disappearances"; title: Executions and mass graves; title: Effect of the siege; title: Information blockade; title: Recommendations; title: To the Syrian Government; title: To the UN Security Council; title: To the UN Human Rights Council; title: To United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; title: To the Arab League; title: Acknowledgments.