ANKARA
United States Department of State made harsh criticism over Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria on 2011 Human Rights Report.
The US Department of State released its 2011 Human Rights Report over nearly 200 countries around the world on Friday.
As regards Syria, a heavy criticism was made on the report.
According to the report, Syria described as a republic ruled by the authoritarian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
The report said that Bashar al-Assad made key decisions with counsel from a small number of security advisors, ministers, and senior members of the ruling Baath Party. The report also said that the constitution mandated the primacy of Baath Party leaders in state institutions and society, and President Assad and party leaders dominated all three branches of government.
Specifying 2007's presidential election as an unfair one, "Assad was confirmed as president for his second seven-year term in a 2007 yes-or-no referendum that was neither free nor fair by international standards," said the report.
The report said that calls for democratic reform by nonviolent demonstrators had began in mid-March and had continued through year's end, and the Assad regime used indiscriminate and deadly force to quell protest, including military assaults on several cities. To prove these claims, "in late April the regime deprived the southern city of Dara'a of electricity, water, and medical services, and it restricted entry and exit for approximately 20 days while shelling mosques and other civilian targets. The regime maintained the use of deadly force against its citizens despite its agreement to an Arab League plan to engage in reform and cease killing civilians on November 2," said the report.
The report said that more than 5000 civilians were killed during 2011 according to the UN reports.
The regime's denial of its citizens' right to peacefully change the government; massive attacks and strategic use of citizen killings as a means of intimidation and control; and denial of civil liberties such as freedom of speech, assembly, and association were the other three most egregious human rights problems during 2011, stated the report.
The report also underlined the torture and abuse, poor prison and detention center conditions, arbitrary arrest and detention, lack of press, Internet, and academic freedom were other serious problems in the country.
Blaming the Assad's regime doing nothing against violence, "Impunity was pervasive and deeply embedded, as the government made no attempt to punish, arrest, or prosecute officials who violated human rights. Corruption was rampant throughout the government, and the judiciary lacked independence," said the report.
