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Ban Speaks Out Against Killings of Peaceful Protesters in Syria

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon today expressed "increasingly grave concern" about the situation inside Syria, where hundreds of peaceful demonstrators protesting against the Government have been killed or injured in recent days.

Mr. Ban - who has spoken twice by telephone with President Bashar al-Assad to voice his concerns - gave a closed-door briefing to Security Council members this afternoon on the latest developments in the Middle East country.

"I condemn, utterly, the continuing violence against peaceful demonstrators, most particularly the use of tanks and live fire that have killed and injured hundreds of people. It goes without saying that Syrian authorities have an obligation to protect civilians and respect international human rights. That includes the right to free expression and peaceful assembly."-Mr. Ban

Mr. Ban said that B. Lynn Pascoe, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, would give a further briefing to Council members tomorrow on the situation in Syria, after which the 15-member panel would hold consultations on the issue.

The Secretary-General and Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, have both called for an independent, transparent and effective investigation into the killings.