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June 16, 2011

U.N. Human Rights Chief Calls for Syria Probe 
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The United Nations's top human rights official is calling for a full
probe of the Syrian government's crackdown on protesters opposing Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad. Speaking before the U.N. Human Rights
Council, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said
Assad's regime had committed a number of unlawful abuses.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay: "I am gravely
concerned about the human rights and humanitarian crises that the
country is facing. Once again, I call upon the Syrian government to halt
this assault on its own people, to desist from using excessive force and
to respect its obligations under international human rights law. I
remind the Syrian authorities that violations of international law are
serious crimes for which perpetrators can be held accountable."

Pillay's report affirms estimates that more than 1,100 people have been
killed and some 10,000 detained in the Syrian crackdown.



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