Clinton: "Friends Of Syria" Must Unite To Stop Russia, China "Blockading" Progress

[pampango]

17. Amnesty Int.: Friends of Syria must use their influence to stop cycle of repression and violence

Urgent action must be taken to stop the deadly cycle of repression and abuse in Syria.

Decisive steps are needed to end the increasingly bloody cycle of repression and abuse in Syria as the armed conflict threatens to further spread and intensify, Amnesty International said ahead of an international Friends of Syria meeting in Paris on 6 July.

The organization called for the imposition of an immediate arms embargo aimed at stopping the transfer of arms to the Syrian government, a Security Council referral of the situation to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and an assets freeze on President Bashar al-Assad and his close associates.

Amid growing reports of abuses by members of the armed opposition, states should also stop arms transfers to the opposition wherever there is a substantial risk that they are likely to be used for war crimes or other human rights abuses.

Amnesty International is also calling for a dedicated human rights monitoring presence in Syria to monitor, investigate and publicly report on crimes against humanity, war crimes and other grave human rights abuses committed by all sides.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/friends-syria-must-use-their-influence-stop-cycle-repression-and-violence-2012-07-05