Statement by the spokesperson of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the worsening of the human rights situation in Syria

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 30 August 2011

A 339/11

Statement by the spokesperson of EU High Representative

Catherine Ashton on the worsening of the human rights situation

in Syria

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and

Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:

"The High Representative expresses her continued deep concern about the violence perpetrated by

the Syrian regime against peaceful demonstrators, human rights activists, and the Syrian people at

large. She renews her unequivocal condemnation of the brutal repression.

The attack against the cartoonist Ali Ferzat, who was abducted and brutalised for having expressed

his views, is just one example of widespread human rights violations. Many other activists,

independent minds and human rights defenders have been subject to similar acts of barbarism and

disregard for human rights, including alleged instances of torture. In addition, thousands remain in

detention without charges. But the crackdown is not limited to activists. The attack against the alRifai mosque in the Kfar Sousseh district of Damascus on Saturday 27 August early morning,

during the most holy night of the Ramadan, is yet another illustration of the reckless

and indiscriminate violence by the Syrian security. All such attacks and the broad repression must

immediately stop, detained protesters be released and a way opened toward the fulfillment of the

legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.”

_________________

P R E S S

FOR FURTHER DETAILS:

Michael Mann +32 498 999 780 - +32 2 299 97 80 - [email protected]

Maja Kocijancic +32 498 984 425 - +32 2 298 65 70 - [email protected]

[email protected]

www.eeas.europa.eu

EN

بيان المتحدث باسم الممثلة العليا كاثرين أشتون يعرب عن القلق العميق من تدهور وضع حقوق الإنسان في سورية.