Press release

UK responds to reports on brutal treatment of innocent Syrians

Foreign Office responds to UN and Amnesty reports criticising Assad regime for brutal treatment of innocent Syrians.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The Foreign Office today responded to reports from the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) and Amnesty International on the situation facing Syrian civilians.

An FCO spokesperson said:

We welcome the reports from the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) and Amnesty International published today. We fully support the work of the COI and its conclusion that through the abduction and brutal treatment of innocent children, women and men, the Assad regime is guilty of a crime against humanity.

The UK will continue to work to ensure that those responsible are held to account and we will continue to call for the situation in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Meanwhile Amnesty’s report only reaffirms the need for us to intensify our support to moderate Syrian opposition groups who stand for a pluralist and democratic vision. The vast majority of Syrians want neither the tyrant nor the terrorists; they want the peaceful, pluralistic and democratic Syria represented by the moderate opposition.

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Published 19 December 2013