Amnesty: Assad committing crimes against humanity

            Amnesty International released a report Tuesday night outlining what it considers the "crimes against humanity" committed by Bashar Assad's regime in Syria. The report focuses on events that occurred in Tell Kalakh when the mass protests began in March 2011. In the report Amnesty states that "Syria has closed its borders to organizations such as Amnesty International as well as to international journalists and other independent observers." "Amnesty International considers that the Syrian army and security forces committed crimes and other violations during the security operation in Tell Kalakh that, when taken in the context of other crimes and human rights violations elsewhere in Syria, amount to crimes against humanity." "These crimes include murder, torture, arbitrary detention and other severe deprivation of liberty, and other inhumane acts committed intentionally to cause great suffering or serious damage to mental or physical health. If such crimes, as well as physical violence and destruction of personal property, were committed by reason of Tell Kalakh residents’ political opposition to the regime, they would also amount to persecution as a crime against humanity." Amnesty International went on to add that it "repeatedly urged the Syrian authorities to conduct thorough, prompt and impartial investigations into crimes and human rights violations across the country. However, the Syrian authorities have failed and appear unwilling to do so. "President Bashar Assad has so far given no indication in his public speeches that the authorities are investigating crimes and other human rights abuses or intending to hold accountable members of the army and security forces who are allegedly responsible for them." Amnesty's conclusion was that "the Syrian authorities must completely change its approach and take a series of urgent measures to prevent future crimes and other human rights violations against the civilian population across Syria and refrain from any deprivation of people’s fundamental rights on account of their political opposition to the regime." The human rights organization then described the measures it believes Assad's regime must take, which included allowing other international human rights monitors and humanitarian agencies access to Syria. (06,00)