Syria accused of torturing children

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/01/3232246.htm

Syria accused of torturing children

Posted 1 hour 49 minutes ago

United Nations children's agency UNICEF has called on Syria to investigate

reports of " horrific acts " of violence against children detained during the

current wave of unrest.

The call came after The New York Times reported that an online video showed the

body of a 13-year-old boy, arrested at a protest on April 29, who it said had

been tortured, mutilated and killed before his body was returned to his family.

Protests against the rule of president Bashar al-Assad broke out in southern

Syria in March and have spread across the country.

In a move which some say is cosmetic, Mr Assad has declared a general amnesty

for all political opponents and prisoners detained in the past two months.

Human rights groups say 1,000 civilians have been killed and 10,000 arrested in

a government crackdown.

In a statement, UNICEF said use of live ammunition against demonstrators had

reportedly killed at least 30 children, although it said it could not

independently confirm that figure or the circumstances of their death.

The agency said it was " particularly disturbed by the recent video images of

children who were arbitrarily detained and suffered torture or ill-treatment

during their detention leading in some cases to their death. "

" We call on the government to thoroughly investigate these reports and ensure

that perpetrators of such horrific acts are identified and brought to justice, "

it added.

UNICEF did not specifically cite the case reported by The New York Times,

involving Hamza Ali al-Khateeb, arrested in Jiza, a village near the southern

city of Deraa, where the protests first erupted.

The agency reminded Syria that as a party to the 1990 UN Convention on the

Rights of the Child, it was bound to ensure children's right to life, to freedom

of expression and peaceful assembly, and protection from violence, exploitation

and abuse.

It said the government had a primary responsibility for the well-being of those

affected by the unrest and a duty to ensure continuation of basic social

services.

The UNICEF statement was one of the strongest issued by any UN body on the

situation in Syria.

The UN humanitarian division OCHA has failed to win permission from Damascus to

send teams to cities attacked by government forces.

Western countries are trying to get the UN Security Council to adopt a

resolution condemning the Syrian government but have met objections from Russia

and China, which both hold vetoes in the 15-nation council.

Meanwhile, Syrian state television says the amnesty covers all crimes committed

before the end of May, which would include thousands of protesters arrested and

jailed in the past two months as well as all those belonging to political

parties.

Included in the amnesty is the Muslim Brotherhood, which led an earlier uprising

30 years ago and membership of which until now was punishable by death.

But so far, opposition groups have dismissed the offer as cosmetic only.

Mr Assad has made other offers before of reforms which have not materialised.

As the announcement was made, Syrian forces were attacking two towns in central

Syria, killing at least one person and wounding many more.

- ABC/Reuters