Rights group urges US, Europe to press Syria on human rights record
By APThursday, March 11, 2010
HRW: West should press Syria on human rights
BEIRUT — A human rights group is calling on Western nations to press Syria on its human rights record.
Some Western countries — including the United States and France — have boosted their engagement with Syria, a country seen as key to peace in the region. But Damascus’ human rights record is poor.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said Thursday that engaging Syria has not led to human rights improvements because the U.S. and Europe have failed to press the issue.
The group urged the EU foreign relations chief to raise human rights concerns with Syrian officials during her visit next week.
Syrian President Bashar Assad released hundreds of political prisoners when he succeeded his father in 2000, but later clamped down on pro-democracy activists.
