GA panel condemns human rights abuses in Syria, Iran

The General Assembly's Social and Humanitarian Committee late Tuesday strongly condemned the "continued widespread and systematic gross human rights violations" by the Syrian authorities and called on Damascus to immediately end all such abuses and attacks against civilians, protect its population, and fully comply with its obligations under international law. The condemnation was contained in a resolution the committee, also known as the third committee, adopted by a vote of 132 in favour, ten more than last year, to 12 against, including Russia and China. There were 35 abstentions, including Lebanon and India. The committee also urged the Syrian authorities to immediately release all persons arbitrarily detained, and stressed its support for the aspirations of the Syrian people for a peaceful, democratic, and pluralistic society, in which there is no room for sectarianism, and based on the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Syria's Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari complained in the committee that his government was being held responsible for "everything" that happened in the country and that the resolution did not call for any accountability on the part of "armed terrorist groups. Nor did it call for national dialogue to resolve the crisis," in line with the principles of peaceful settlement of disputes. He also expressed regret over the insistence of proposing drafts on human rights situations for political reasons, as that threatened the political and legal terms of reference for international relations. The committee also adopted, by 83 in favour to 31 against, including some Arab and Gulf countries, with 68 abstentions, including Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, a resolution expressing deep concern at serious human rights violations in Iran, relating to torture or degrading punishment, and the "alarming" high frequency of the use of the death penalty and failure to abolish the execution of minors and persons who were under the age of 18 at the time of their offence. It also strongly urged Iran to ensure free, fair, transparent, and inclusive presidential elections in 2013, calling on it to respect its human rights obligations, in law and in practice. For the first time since 2005, the committee adopted a resolution condemning the human rights records in North Korea by consensus. These and other resolutions on human rights in other parts of the world will be adopted by the Assembly as a whole next month