Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein (OHCHR) on the Situation in the Middle East (Syria)

Briefing by Mr. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the situation in the Middle East (Syria).
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said the Syrian conflict which began with the “torture of children” has been “characterised by its absolute disregard for even the most minimal standards of principle and law.”
Speaking at an Arria-formula meeting on the human rights situation in Syria, Zeid said his office had rung the loudest possible alarm bells about the fate of hundreds of thousands of terrified and vulnerable civilians caught up in fighting, stressing that these were civilians not terrorists. He noted that multiple parties to this conflict claim to justify their military offensives based on their fight against terrorism, but added, “to push back terrorism, one must refrain from adopting the unprincipled and vicious attacks on innocent people that are the very marker, the very distinguishing feature, of the violent extremist groups themselves.” He said the Syrian government claims that it is making every effort to protect civilians but “when you are capable of torturing and indiscriminately killing your own people, you have long forfeited your own credibility.”
The High Commissioner said unlawful methods of warfare have been used by all parties to the Syrian conflict. He said the Security Council has failed to take decisive action to defend human rights and prevent further loss of life despite the absolutely shameful conduct that has marked the conflict. He emphasized that in recent years the perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Syria and elsewhere have repeatedly been shielded from justice by use of, or threat of the use of, the veto.