Swiss prosecutor supports Russian intervention in Syria

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Carla Del Ponte, the Swiss special prosecutor who serves on the UN commission of inquiry on Syria, has said that she generally considers Russian intervention in Syria “a good thing”.

In speaking with Swiss Public Television RTS on Monday, Del Ponte said that “globally, I think Russian intervention is good, because then someone is attacking these terrorist groups…[such as] ISIS and al-Nosra”.

However, she added that based on what is known, the Russians make “a bit too little distinction between terrorists and others…which is not as good”.

Through its violent air strikes in Syria, Moscow has been accused by many Western governments of being at least partially responsible for the breakdown of the third round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva last week, and for also targeting more moderate rebel groups opposed to Assad’s government. German Chancellor Angela Merkel sharply criticised the air strikes while on a visit to Turkey on Monday.

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/war-crimes_swiss-prosecutor-supports-russian-intervention-in-syria/41948178

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1. Both sides are committing ‘incredible’ crimes

Swiss prosecutor Carla Del Ponte says ‘incredible’ crimes are being committed by both sides in the Syrian conflict. The former diplomat, who is a member of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria, also warned against military action.

“There are no good or bad ones – they are all bad. Government forces and rebels are both committing war crimes as serious and incredible as each other,” Del Ponte told reporters at a press conference in Geneva on Monday. “I have never seen such acts of torture, even in the Balkans conflict.”

The panel she works for was set up by the UN Human Rights Council in September 2011 to probe war crimes and other human rights abuses in Syria, including the use of chemical weapons.

Del Ponte refused to be drawn on questions about chemical attacks in Syria, in particular the deadly August 21 poison gas attack in Damascus in which up to 1,400 people, including more than 400 children, are reported to have died.

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/del-ponte-on-syria_both-sides-are-committing--incredible--crimes/36856324