UN human rights group acts to condemn use of deadly force

Published on Friday 29 April 2011 18:43

The United Nations' human rights body has condemned Syria for using deadly force against peaceful protesters and launched an investigation into the killings.

The 47-member forum, which held an emergency session in Geneva, endorsed a United States-sponsored resolution by 26 votes to nine with seven abstentions. Five delegations - including Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain - were absent.

It also emerged the UN's nuclear watchdog is setting the stage for Security Council action against the beleaguered country.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is to file a report on the bombing of a Syrian building by Israeli warplanes in 2007. It is understood the report will say the target was probably a secretly built nuclear reactor meant to produce plutonium.

Syria claimed the building had no nuclear uses and repeatedly turned down requests by the IAEA to revisit the site, after allowing an initial 2008 inspection that found evidence of possible nuclear activities.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama signed an executive order yesterday imposing sanctions against Syria's intelligence agency and two relatives of President Bashar al-Assad, in response to the crackdown on protests.

Mr Assad was not among those targeted for the sanctions, which will include asset freezes and bans on US business dealings, but he could be named later if violence against pro-democracy protesters continues.