Terrorism, aggression, occupation major obstacles to rights fulfillment in Syria: Envoy

Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva says blatant economic terrorism, unilateral coercive measures and occupation are major obstacles to the fulfillment of rights in the war-wracked country.

Hussam Edin Aala made the remarks in a statement during the UN Human Rights Council’s session for adoption of a report by the team concerned with the council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Syria, Syria's official news agency SANA reported on Friday.

Embargo, terrorism, aggression and continued occupation of parts of Syrian territories by Turkey, the Israeli regime and the US have caused grave violations of human rights, particularly the rights to life, health, food and development, he said.

"The mechanism of this review constitutes the optimal international framework to examine in a transparent and professional manner the record of human rights of all countries in an equal footing without discrimination or selectivity," he added.

The Syrian diplomat noted that his country has presented its third national report, as its delegation, headed by Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Bashar al-Jafaari, participated in discussing the report and in responding the questions raised and the recommendations proposed by the delegations in a constructive and objective way.

The delegation, which had participated in discussing the national report on Syria, presented objective recommendations about the situation and conditions that Syria has been facing, including the negative repercussions of the unilateral coercive economic blockade imposed on the country by the US and the European Union, he said.

Aala expressed regrets over certain attempts by some delegations "to distort the debate session of its national report in order to stir confusion and deception and to bring back the atmosphere of polarization."

Since the onset of the Syria crisis in 2011, the US, the European Union and some Arab states have been supporting militant groups in their fight against the Damascus government.

As the proxy terrorists failed on the battlefield thanks to Iranian and Russian support for Syria, the Westerners imposed draconian sanctions against the Arab country to exert more pressure on the Damascus government.

Meanwhile, the US and Turkey have also deployed military forces to Syria to advance their own interests there and have been turning a deaf ear to the Damascus government’s calls for them to end their occupation and violations of the Arab country’s sovereignty.

In turn, the Israeli regime has also been launching air raids on various targets in Syria, in what is widely viewed as an attempt to boost anti-Damascus terrorists.

In an address to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday, Jaafari lambasted US-led sanctions against Syria, saying the bans amount to economic terrorism and have catastrophic impacts on the country's human rights situation.

US sanctions amount to economic terrorism, cause catastrophic impacts, says Syrian deputy FM

Syrian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Bashar al-Jaafari has lambasted US-led sanctions against his country, saying the bans amount to economic terrorism and have catastrophic impacts on Syria’s human rights situation.

Jaafari said that the coercive economic measures by the US target Syrian people's livelihood and their right to life and welfare, emphasizing that the terrorist war against Syria, foreign occupation of its territory and the external support for terrorism have caused catastrophic impacts on the human rights situation in the country.

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