Liz Throssell Syria crisis: UN Human Rights Office calls for restraint amid reports of Alawite killings Human Rights
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) is calling for restraint in Syria amid reports that some members of the Alawite community and other minorities have been attacked or killed.
Speaking in Geneva, OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell said the Office was aware of reports and videos purportedly showing the killing of Alawite men in Homs and other Syrian cities since the fall of the Assad regime.
Recall that Bashar al-Assad and his family belong to the Alawite community, a branch of the Shiite branch of Islam.
“We are aware of these reports, and obviously our colleagues are working to obtain confirmation. We know that the authorities have issued a statement calling on everyone to avoid retaliation… I think it is really important that all parties comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and that includes respecting and protecting minorities,” Throssell said.
Talking to reporters at a briefing in Geneva, she said a small team of UN Human Rights officials had been sent to Damascus and had made “initial contacts with the interim authorities,” including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. In early December, rebels led by the organization seized power in Syria, toppling the Assad regime.
Journalists also asked Throssell to comment on reports of attacks on Syrian women who were talking or walking in the street with men who were not their relatives. The OHCHR spokeswoman said: “It is important that the interim authorities act in the interests of security… so that those accused of committing crimes are brought to justice and that women, children and different ethnic and religious communities can fully exercise their rights.”