Syria war crimes evidence implicates Assad: UN

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SHOTLIST: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 2 DECEMBER 2013, SOURCE: UNTV CH NO RESALE FOR NON-EDITORIAL PURPOSES -WS of the Palais des Nations -MS photographers BORDER BETWEEN SYRIA AND TURKEY, JULY 20, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - Shot of a sign at the border that says "welcome to Syria" - WS of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing AZAZ, SYRIA, JULY 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - Shot of an army helicopter - VAR of a FSA soldier shooting on a helicopter with an anti-aircraft battery mounted on the back of a small truck HOMS, SYRIA, MAY 2, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR of Syrian security foces next to rubble of the city - VAR of the neighbourhood of Baba Amr GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 2 DECEMBER 2013, SOURCE: UNTV CH NO RESALE FOR NON-EDITORIAL PURPOSES -VAR inside the press room ALEPPO (IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF SALAHEDDIN), SYRIA, AUGUST 8 AND 9, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR of rebels fighting the Syrian army in the streets of Salaheddin ALEPPO, SYRIA, AUGUST 6, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR of residents rushing to a bombed building to help victims - Shot of a man getting out of the rubble covered in dust GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 2 DECEMBER 2013, SOURCE: UNTV CH NO RESALE FOR NON-EDITORIAL PURPOSES SOUNDBITE 1 Navi Pillay (woman), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (English, 32 sec): “They have now been extended three times, they’ve produced massive evidence, they find the facts, based on that in their report they've outlined their view that the facts point to the commission of very serious crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity. They point to the fact that the evidence indicates responsibility at the highest level of government including the head of state.” SOUNDBITE 2 Navi Pillay (woman), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (English, 21 sec): “Accountability should be a key priority of the international community and I want to make this point again and again as the Geneva 2 talks begin. And I reiterate my call to all member states to refer the situation to the ICC." /// ---------------------------------------------------------- AFP TEXT STORY Syria-conflict-war-crimes,lead Syria war crimes evidence implicates Assad: UN =(PICTURE)= GENEVA, Dec 2, 2013 (AFP) - Evidence has been uncovered in Syria that implicates President Bashar al-Assad and members of his entourage, in war crimes and crimes against humanity, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said Monday A UN commission of inquiry into human rights violations in Syria "has produced massive evidence ... (of) very serious crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity," she said, adding that "the evidence indicates responsibility at the highest level of government, including the head of state." The commission, tasked with probing rights violations in Syria since shortly after the conflict erupted in March 2011, has repeatedly accused the Syrian regime of crimes against humanity and war crimes. It has said the rebels fighting Assad's regime are also guilty of war crimes. But the four-member team, headed by Brazilian Paulo Sergio Pinheiro and including former war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte, has never named names nor pointed directly at Assad. The investigators -- who without access to Syria have relied on more than 2,000 interviews in the surrounding region or by phone or Skype for their reports -- have put together a long list of suspected perpetrators. The names "remain sealed until I am requested to furnish them to credible investigation," Pillay told reporters in Geneva, adding that "it could be a national investigation or international investigation." She meanwhile reiterated her call for the case to be handed over to the International Criminal Court in the Hague to ensure accountability. "The scale of viciousness of the abuses being perpetrated by elements on both sides almost defies belief," she said. nl/jwf/fb