Syria hits back in human rights row

Syria’s deputy foreign minister has hit back at critics of the country’s human rights record saying it is under attack from criminals who have killed 1,100 citizens with arms supplied by neighbouring countries.

Faisal Mekdad was addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He said President Bashar Assad’s regime is “the target of terrorist threats,” and is undermined by reports from Western journalists.

The UN’s top human rights body is examining Syria’s record, part of its mandatory review of all member nations.

“There is nothing that we seek to hide or are ashamed of,” Mr Mekdad said.

“The culture of human rights is a disease,” he added. “We have to take into consideration that the conduct of some of those developed countries is not honourable in the area of human rights.”

The UN human rights office estimates that President Assad’s crackdown against protesters seeking change has claimed more than 2,900 lives.

A final report on Syria’s record is to be adopted by the Human Rights Council next week.

Russia, China, Venezuela and Zimbabwe provided strong backing for Syria, saying it must be protected against foreign interference.

“Unfortunately, the opposition is not showing an interest in peaceful dialogue and is using arms against the government,” Russian Ambassador Valery Loshchinin said.

“We are opposed to any politicisation of human rights issues,” said China’s Ambassador He Yafei.

“All parties in Syria must exercise maximum restraint.”

But nations including the United States, France and Brazil condemned Mr Assad’s crackdown against civilians seeking change.

“The Syrian government responded to peaceful protests by killing over 2,900 civilians in the past seven months in military and security operations, using tanks and heavy weapons,” US Ambassador Betty King said.

In August, the Human Rights Council voted overwhelmingly to demand Syria end its bloody crackdown and co-operate with an international probe into possible crimes against humanity. That included the support of all four Arab voting members of the council.

But Russia and China voted against it, and the nations vetoed a resolution on Tuesday in the UN Security Council in New York threatening sanctions if the crackdown does not end.