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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| UN implicates Bashar al-Assad in Syria war crimes | UN implicates Bashar al-Assad in Syria war crimes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The UN's human rights chief has said an inquiry has produced evidence that war crimes were authorised in Syria at the "highest level", including by President Bashar al-Assad. | The UN's human rights chief has said an inquiry has produced evidence that war crimes were authorised in Syria at the "highest level", including by President Bashar al-Assad. |
| It is the first time the UN's human rights office has so directly implicated Mr Assad. | It is the first time the UN's human rights office has so directly implicated Mr Assad. |
| Commissioner Navi Pillay said her office held a list of others implicated by the inquiry. | Commissioner Navi Pillay said her office held a list of others implicated by the inquiry. |
| The UN estimates more than 100,000 people have died in the conflict. | The UN estimates more than 100,000 people have died in the conflict. |
| The UN's commission of inquiry into Syria has produced "massive evidence... [of] very serious crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity," Ms Pillay said. | The UN's commission of inquiry into Syria has produced "massive evidence... [of] very serious crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity," Ms Pillay said. |
| "The scale of viciousness of the abuses being perpetrated by elements on both sides almost defies belief," she said. | |
| The evidence indicated responsibility "at the highest level of government, including the head of state", she added. | The evidence indicated responsibility "at the highest level of government, including the head of state", she added. |
| The inquiry has also previously reported it has evidence that rebel forces in Syria have been guilty of human rights abuses. | The inquiry has also previously reported it has evidence that rebel forces in Syria have been guilty of human rights abuses. |
| Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was dismissive of Ms Pillay's remarks. | |
| "She has been talking nonsense for a long time and we don't listen to her," he told AP. | |
| Ms Pillay said the UN commission of inquiry had compiled a list of those believed to be directly responsible for serious human rights violations. | Ms Pillay said the UN commission of inquiry had compiled a list of those believed to be directly responsible for serious human rights violations. |
| It is assumed that senior figures in the Syrian military and government are on that list, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva. | It is assumed that senior figures in the Syrian military and government are on that list, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva. |
| However, the names and specific evidence relating to them remain confidential pending a possible prosecution for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). | However, the names and specific evidence relating to them remain confidential pending a possible prosecution for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). |
| She has previously called on the UN Security Council to refer Syria to the ICC. | She has previously called on the UN Security Council to refer Syria to the ICC. |
| Syria is not a state party to the ICC and therefore any investigation into the conflict would need to be mandated by the Security Council. | |
| However, Russia and China have a veto on the council and would be highly unlikely to let such a move pass. | |
| Also on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group which monitors deaths in the conflict, said its estimate of the number of dead had now reached 125,835, more than a third of them civilians. | |
| Almost 28,000 rebel fighters had died, and more than 50,000 on the side of the government, including both regular soldiers and pro-regime militias. The latter figure also includes almost 500 dead from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and other foreign Shia militias. | |
| However, it said it believed these figures were an underestimate as both sides were reticent about reporting deaths in their ranks. |