Human Rights Watch : Syrian regime is torturing political prisoners

The Syrian government was unlawfully holding thousands of political detainees solely on the basis of their peaceful activity, Human Rights Watch said Thursday. The organization said in a statement today that the systematic use of torture by the government against those detainees is strong evidence of state policy which would constitute crimes against humanity. Concerned governments need to make clear that the Syrian government and those responsible for the abuse will ultimately face justice for their actions. It called on concerned governments to support a UN Security Council referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court to investigate and prosecute those bearing the greatest responsibility for abuses in Syria. Human Rights Watch began today a campaign entitled "Inside the Black Hole." It deals with the systematic use of torture by the Syrian government against protestors who used nothing but there to free speech and freedom of expression. It deals particularly with the stories of 21 Syrians who have been detained by the government since the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011. The organization urged the Syrian government to drop all charges against all such detainees, and put an end to their military and counter-terrorism trials.