Catherine Ashton on the worsening of the human rights situation in Syria

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 al-Rifai 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.”