WITNESS Joins Human Rights Organizations Marking One Year of Bloodshed in Syria

New York, NY, March 15, 2012 - Campaigners around the world will today mark one year of violence in Syria by calling on Russia to back UN Security Council action to end the crisis.

A coalition of 200 NGOs from 27 countries - including WITNESS, Human Rights Watch, Christian Aid, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, CIVICUS and International Federation of Human Rights - is demanding that the UN Security Council immediately unite and pass a resolution calling on the Syrian government to stop indiscriminate shelling of civilian neighbourhoods and other violations of international law, stop arbitrary arrests and torture and grant urgent access to humanitarian workers, journalists and human rights monitors.

“For a full year, the death toll in Syria has escalated to the horrifying total of more than 8,000 dead, including hundreds of children.  Isn’t it time for the world to unite behind effective steps to stop this now?” said Ziad Abdel Tawab, Deputy Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights.

Across the world, from Indonesia to Egypt, UK to South Africa, Turkey to Brazil, activists and celebrities will join a call for the international community to ‘Unite for Syria: Stop one year of bloodshed’.

Some of the world’s largest tweeps (influential individuals with a large following on Twitter), including Indonesian singer @SherinaMunaf, British actor @StephenFry and singer @NellyFurtado, will join leading activists from the Middle East, such as Egypt's @AsmaaMahfouz and Syria's @AnonymousSyria, in a Twitter campaign that will reach several millions of people. In solidarity with all those still engaged in non-violent protest in Syria, activists will also join celebrities by holding up hand-written placards calling on the international community to stop the killing (see link to the Facebook group below).

“Russia and China have twice blocked Security Council action, a defence of Assad that he has interpreted as a license to kill.  Moscow and Beijing should stop providing diplomatic cover for Syrian atrocities, and start demanding an end to indiscriminate shelling and attacks on peaceful protesters” said Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch.

The coalition is calling on:

1.    The UN Security Council to urgently pass a resolution calling on the Syrian government to bring an immediate end to its indiscriminate shelling and attacks on peaceful protesters

2.    The international community to provide full support to Kofi Annan, the UN Special Representative for Syria, including to engage Russia and China in any UN initiative to end the crisis

3.    The Syrian government and other armed actors to guarantee full and unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas of the country in which there is a need in accordance with international law

4.    The ‘Friends of Syria’ group to uphold promises made in Tunis to provide funding for humanitarian assistance

“The Syrian people have survived with outstanding courage one year of systematic and widespread crimes and bloodshed as the world stood by and watched. The international community must unite and help Syrians bring an end to the horror,” said Souher Belhassen, President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

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Follow #UniteForSyria to see the online campaign in action. And visit the Facebook campaign group here: www.facebook.com/UniteForSyria.

:Tweeps and celebrities involved in the campaign include

Celebrities:

Luiz Abdel-Kareem; Alaa Al Aswany; Peter Capaldi; Olivia Colman; Lindsay Duncan; Alaa Abd El-Fattah; James Fleet; Mariella Frostrup; Davis Gyasi; Mark Knopfler; Joshua Matulessy (Jflow); Miriam Margoyles; Kevin McNally; Ben Miller; Rebecca Night; Jeremy Northam; Natalie Portman; Tony Robinson; Susan Sarandon; Marc Secara; Sarah Solomeni; Patrick Stewart; Fadwa Suleiman.

Tweeps:

Gareth Cliff (@GarethCliff); Livia Firth (@LiviaFirth); Stephen Fry (@StephenFry); Nelly Furtado (@NellyFurtado); Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci); India Knight (@IndiaKnight); Conor McCreedy (@Conormccreedy); David Miliband (@DMiliband); @__Imen; @Anay_a @Alaa; @AlexanderPageSY; @ANA_Feed; @Anay_a; @Andyfreire; @AnonymousSyria; @arabspringff; @AsmaaMahfouz; @AsmaMzoughi; @BasemFathy; @edwardedark; @FelixTreguer; @GameelaIsmail; @Gr33ndata; @GulPanag; @heger_a; @IbnKafka; @Ifikra; @jflowrighthere; @Jonamorem; @KetyDC; @LibyaRU; @marcvanderham; @MelissaRahmouni; @Mina_tn; @Mira404; @MonaElTahawy; @New_Syria_RU; @NoorNoor1; @Psyche; @Rafik; @Rallaf; @RampantFreedom; @RamyRaouf; @SallyZohney; @Selim_; @Selim_Koru; @SherinaMunaf; @SultanAlQassemi; @tounsiahourra; @Tweets4Peace; @UnGarage; @Wa7damasrya; @WaleedSulais.

Organisations supporting the day include:

International and European Signatories:

Adopt a Revolution, Avaaz, Broederlijk Delen, Christian Aid, Church of England's International Affairs Office, Church of Sweden, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Every Human Has Rights, Genç Siviller Hareketi (Young Civilians), Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Nahda Network, National Union of Teachers, Pax Christi International, People in Need, Refugees International, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF), The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), United to End Genocide, Waging Peace, War Child Holland, WITNESS

MENA Signatories:

Algeria: The Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights, Algerian Coordination for the Families of the missing

Bahrain: Bahrain Youth Forums Society, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Bahrain Human Rights Society, Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights

Egypt: Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), Arab Forum for Alternatives, The Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA), Association for the Freedom of Thought and Expression, Arab Foundation for Civil Society and Human Rights Support, Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, Annie Centre for Human Rights and Development, Civil Observatory for Human Rights, Citizenship  Human Rights Organization (CHRO), Shumuu (Candles) for Human Rights, Egyptian Association for Scientific and Technological Development, Egyptian Foundation for Refugees Rights (EFRR), The Arab Network for Human Rights Information, The Arabic Center for Development and Human Rights, South Center for Human Rights, The Arabic Media Crisis Network, Center for Alternative Study & Development Programs, Taha Hussein Foundation for Civic Education, Sudan Children Association, Egyptian Center for innovation and development, Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, Bader Foundation for Social Development and Peace, Maan for Human Rights, The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) , New Generation Foundation for Human Rights-North Sinai, Freedom Center for Political Studies and Human Rights, Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement, Egyptian Foundation for Advancement of the Childhood Condition

Iraq: Iraqi Network for Human Rights, Iraqi organization for Human Rights - Denmark

Jordan: Observatory for Human Rights and Environment, Equality Center for Democratic Studies and Research, Justice Center for Human Rights Studies, Center for Civic Collaboration

Kuwait: Kuwait Organization for Human Rights, Citizens Against Corruption

Lebanon: Permanent Peace Movement, Lebanese Transparency Association, Palestinian Human Rights Organization in Lebanon

Libya: Libyan Arab Association for Human Rights, Society for Human Rights

Mauritania: Northern League for Development of Democracy and Human Rights, National Commission for Human Rights in Mauritania, Arab Organization for Human Rights / Branch Mauritania, Mauritanian Association for the Protection of Democracy (Protection), Mauritanian gathering of Democratic Women, Mauritanian Association for the Promotion of Human Rights

Morocco: Forum alternatives - Morocco, Democratic Organization of work in Morocco, National Association of unemployed graduates in Morocco, Badail Forum – Juosour, Development Association, Union of Youth of the Future, Nibrass Community Association, Centre for Human Rights Education, Center of people's Rights, Lead Foundation, Moroccan Organization for Human Rights, Moroccan Organization for Human Rights Education

Palestine: Conscience  Foundation for Detainees Affairs, Union of Palestinian Women's Committees, Human Rights & Democracy Media Center (Shams), RASD center for Palestinians

Qatar: National Human Rights Committee, Dr. Najeeb Alnauimi – Ex-Minister  of Justice

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights First Society

Sudan: Al-khatim Adlan Center Enlightenment and Human Development, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), Sudan Development Association SDA, Civil Observatory for Human Rights, Darfur Democratic Platform, Amal Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of violence, Sobat Center for Peace and Capacity Building, Solidarity trade union, Center for the Study of Human Development – Fanar, Global Center for Culture of Peace, Africa Centre for Human Rights, Darfur’s Lawyers Association, Darfur Center for Promoting Peace, Darfur Media & Press Association, Dwana Organization for Human Development, CDA Community Development Association, Women for cultural and social Development Association, Arbab Cultural Center, Sara Fadil Organization for Peace and Development

Tunisia: National Council for Liberties, Observatory of the Tunisian trade union rights and freedoms, Tunisian Organization for Democratic women

UAE: Emirates organization for Human Rights

Yemen: Social Democratic Forum, Sisters  Arab Forums for Human Rights, Human Rights Information and Training Center, Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights, Yemeni Organization for Defending Rights and Democratic Freedoms, Media Women Forum, Community Development Foundation, Political Development Forum, The National Commission for the Defense of Freedoms (Hood), Democracy School, National Organization for Community Development, Yemeni Syndicate of  Doctors and Pharmacists, Partners Foundation for Future Development

Regional Coalitions: Non Violence Network in the Arab Countries (20 organisations), MENA Coalition to stop use of Child Soldiers (22 organisations),MENA Action Network on Small Arms (20 organisations), Arab Coalition for Darfur (102 organisations), Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflict (MENAPPAC) (30 organisations)

Total Number of organizations (accounting for coalitions): 200