UN resolution on Syria shows international community not to remain silent

ANKARA (A.A) - Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Friday that a resolution of the UN Human Rights Council on Syria showed that the international community would not remain silent to human rights violations in Syria. A statement by the ministry said that a resolution on the escalating grave human rights violations and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria which was submitted at the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council under the leadership of Turkey was approved with 37 votes against three. "The resolution strongly condemned the continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, arbitrary executions, the killing and persecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists, including recent deaths of Syrian and foreign journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children," it said. It expressed strong concern at the humanitarian situation in Syria, including the lack of access to basic food, medicine and fuel, as well as threats to and acts of violence against medical staff, patients and facilities. The resolution called upon the Syrian government to immediately put an end to all human rights violations and attacks against civilians, to cease all violence, to allow free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs in Homs and other areas, and to permit humanitarian agencies to deliver vital relief goods and services to all civilians affected by the violence, especially in Homs, Dar'a, Zabadani and other areas under siege by the Syrian security forces.