Swiss call for end to violence in Syria
The Swiss foreign ministry has called on the Syrian authorities to end violence against demonstrators.
This content was published on April 26, 2011 - 16:30In a statement on Tuesday the ministry said it was “very concerned” about the events in Syria over the past weeks, urging the authorities to put an end to repression and to respect the basic rights of Syrian citizens.
It demanded that an independent investigation be carried out as soon as possible in order to find out the exact circumstances of the violence. It also appealed for the Syrian authorities to grant foreign media access to the crisis zones.
Almost 400 people have been killed in Syria since President Bashar Assad unleashed a furious crackdown in mid-March, with 120 alone dying over the weekend, according to the United Nations and human rights groups.
That has only emboldened protesters who started their revolt – inspired by uprisings in the Arab world – with calls for modest reforms but are now increasingly demanding Assad’s downfall.
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