The UN Human Rights Council to Investigate Crackdown on Protesters in Syria

The UN Human Rights Council ordered an investigation into violations committed by the Syrian regime during its crackdown on popular protests. The council passed a resolution to send an independent international commission of inquiry and demanded an end to the violence by Syrian security forces against protesters. There were 33 votes in favour, four against - reportedly including China, Russia and Cuba - and nine abstentions. The commission will investigate violations of international human rights law in Syria since July 2011. The UN says more than 2200 people have died in the violence.

The UN high commissioner on human rights, Navi Pillay, opened an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 22 August 2011. A UN humanitarian mission visited the central city of Homs on 22 August 2011, but was advised to leave for security reasons when protests started. The mission was sent to assess such needs as food and medicine.