Syria Protest

A protest in Homs earlier this month

The UN's Human Rights Council voted overwhelmingly to condemn the "systematic human rights violations" by the Syrian authorities, despite opposition from Russia and China.

The council also decided to dispatch a team of high-level investigators to Syria to examine alleged breaches of international law since March that may amount to "crimes against humanity".

The resolution passed by 33 votes to 4 at the meeting in Geneva, with all of the Arab nations with voting rights - Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia - giving it their backing.

But both Russia and China opposed what they said was "unnecessary intervention" in Syria's affairs.

China's ambassador He Yafei said it would "only complicate the situation".

Syria's ambassador dismissed the resolution as "100% political".

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks in Damascus in this still image taken from video.

Bashar al Assad has come under pressure from world leaders to step down

The UN's claims that 2,200 people have been killed in Syria since President Bashar Al Assadordered military action against protesters demanding an end to his rule.

A UN humanitarian team is already working in Syria assessing the situation and the need for aid supplies, but a new team of investigators will be sent to consider the legal aspects of the regime's crackdown.

The resolution demands the co-operation of the Syrian authorities in the probe.

At least 10 people are reported to have been killed in the past 24 hours in Syria.

Activists also claim there have been hundreds of arrests in security sweeps of Damascus, Hama and Deir Al Zour.

The UN Security Council will this week consider further measures against Mr Assad put forward by Britain, the US and France - including a travel ban, a freeze on his foreign financial assets and an arms embargo.

 

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