3-15-2012
By Corinne DuffyHuman Rights First
Today marks the one-year anniversary since Syrian protestors took to the streets to demand an end to the oppression of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Since March 15, 2011, over 8000 Syrian civilians have been killed by their own government’s brutal crackdown of the uprising.
If the United States wants to be a leader on calling for a ceasefire, the government must take immediate steps to stop the flow of weapons in to Syria. Human Rights First urges the Department of Defense to stop doing business with Rosoboronexport, a Russian arms dealer that has enabled the ongoing atrocities in Syria. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner should also use his authority to designate Rosoboronexport for U.S. sanctions.
Human Rights First has released a timeline that details the escalating violence in the past year. As the death toll continues to rise, the United States must lead by example and stop doing business with those enabling the ongoing atrocities.