Wednesday, May 16, 2012
GENEVA (AFP)--Syria failed to show Wednesday at a meeting of a United Nations anti-torture committee scheduled to discuss the situation in the nation, its secretary said.
No one from Damascus attended the session of the Committee Against Torture, which monitors compliance with the U.N.'s anti-torture convention by state parties.
In November, committee chairman Claudio Grossman wrote to the Syrian authorities about reports of the spread of torture in the country where a bloody crackdown on protesters was unleashed in March 2011.
Since then observers estimate more than 12,000 people have died, including more than 900 since an April 12 truce went into effect.
A committee call to provide a special report on the situation went unmet after Syria questioned its right to request the document.
"No report was received and no delegation from Syria was present," said secretary Joao Nataf.
The Committee Against Torture is holding its 48th session from May 7 to June 1 to discuss several countries' compliance with the Convention Against Torture.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
16-05-12 1625GMT
