The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Feb. 10 reiterated its call for international action to protect civilians in Syria, calling for Syrian officials suspected of crimes against humanity to be tried before the International Criminal Court (ICC). High Commissioner Navi Pillay is now scheduled to address the UN General Assembly next week regarding the latest humanitarian developments in Syria, where the ongoing uprising challenging the autocratic rule of President Bashar Assad has resulted in a bloody government crackdown that has seen more than 5,000 people killed since March. Reports of increased violence in recent days prompted Pillay earlier this week to urge international intervention on behalf of the Syrian people.

Pillay has addressed the UN Security Council twice to urge ICC prosecutions of Syrian officials. Earlier this week the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) claimed that 11 months of violence in Syria has led to the deaths of hundreds of children. Earlier this month Human Rights Watch accused the Syrian army of torturing children, and earlier declared that Syrian forces were committing crimes against humanity, including torture and unlawful killings of anti-government protesters. . In January, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon demanded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad end violence against Syrian civilians.

From Jurist, Feb. 10. Used with permission.

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