On Thursday, the State Department released a fact sheet of U.S. policy towards Syria in which it "reject the Syrian government's justification of its tactics to maintain "stability" and noted that additional sanctions have been imposed on Syrian officials, including President Bashar al-Assad,  to target the human rights abuses committed against protesters.  The statement also discussed coordination with European allies and on-going considerations for  "additional bilateral options for increasing pressure ...

On Thursday,  Amnesty International published a report on the killings, detentions, and torture that took place during the January 25 revolution.  The 123-page report details violent acts committed by security forces in dispersing peaceful demonstrators, including the use of tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition.  Few in the Egyptian government now dispute the facts listed in the report, but Amnesty stresses that much more must be done ...

On Wednesday,  House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman  Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) applauded the new Executive Order which imposes sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.  She  called on the administration to fully implement existing sanctions laws on the Syrian regime, recall the U.S. ambassador to Iran, and support Congressional efforts targeting the regime such as a new bipartisan legislation she will soon introduce that "would strengthen and increase sanctions to deny the Syrian regime the resources to threaten ...

On Wednesday,  State Department spokesman Mark Toner expressed the United States' concern over Iran denying its citizens their human rights.   The statement followed the execution of two citizens Abdollah Fathi and Mohammad Fathi and reports over the upcoming execution of  Kurdish activist Habibollah Latifi. Toner called for transparency and due process in judicial proceedings and urged the Iranian government to halt executions, release political prisoners, and guarantee its citizens protection ...

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) confirmed on Tuesday the finding of a mass grave in the city of Deraa.  The remains of thirteen people were confirmed found including women and children.  Eight bodies have been identified as members of the Abazied and al-Mahmaed families.  Time of death has not yet been ascertained although FIDH and the Damascus Center for Human Rights (DCHRS) indicate the grave is possibly the ...

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad admitted some government mistakes in handling anti-government protests that have been taking place since March; but he mostly blamed "poorly trained" members of the security services.  Assad stated that little experience with the current situation in the country, which would normally be dealt with by regular police, was a cause of the shortcomings of security services' handling of protests.  He also said the security services would ...

Following reports of a mass grave uncovered in the southern town of Deraa, State Department representative Mark Toner stated that the United States was "looking into the allegations."  When asked what the response would be if the reports were confirmed, Mr. Toner stated that he was not in a position to speculate. Mr. Toner was also pressed to provide more information on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's statement that nearly ...

On Tuesday, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey D. Feltman and National Security Council Senior Director Puneet Talwar traveled Bahrain to meet with government officials and discuss U.S. commitment to "a strong partnership with both the people and the Government of Bahrain."   Steinberg also stressed the importance of "full respect for universal human rights" an d called for national reconciliation and a "comprehensive ...