Protests for Syria as bloodshed continues

Violence has escalated across Syria in recent days as soldiers loyal to Bashar al-Assad’s regime attempt to crush opponents.

Thousands of lives have already been lost in the violence and the death toll is rising daily.

Amnesty International Campaign Director, Kristyan Benedict, told Channel 4 News that the aim of today’s protest across central London is to show support for activists who are protesting peacefully, rather than taking up arms.

“It’s important that we stand in solidarity with those who are protesting peacefully.

“Let’s remember Homs – as brutal as it is- it’s not the full story.

“There is still non-violent direct protest action going on across the country. Protesters are doing things like using dye to turn all the fountains in Damascus red.

“People want to protest peacefully. They don’t want a Somalia-type situation. They’re fighting for less corruption and less repression. So when people start advocating weapons and arming rebels, we have to ask, ‘What future are they trying to achieve?'”

This is going to take a long time. It isn’t going to change in just months, or even a couple of years. And we won’t do it by the barrel of a gun. Kristyan Benedict, Amnesty International

At least 25 people were killed by two bombs targeting security forces in the city of Aleppo, according to state media. Syrian TV blamed Friday’s blasts on “armed terrorist gangs”. But the Free Syrian Army denied it was behind the attacks.

Amnesty International’s Kristyan Benedict stressed that the situation remained complex, but arming the rebels or moving towards any sort of military intervention would not help the human rights situation.

“We need to carefully assess how it could impact on human rights. It’s not just the government versus political groups, or goodies versus baddies. It’s about changing the mindset.

He said that like the situation in Egypt, which today marks the first anniversary of Mubarak’s fall, the change that is sweeping across the Middle East will not happen overnight.

“This is going to take a long time. It isn’t going to change in just months, or even a couple of years. And we won’t do it by the barrel of a gun,” he said.

Read more: United Nations fiddles while Syria burns

He also insisted that more could be done at the diplomatic and political levels to address the ongoing bloodshed, despite the UN Security Council’s failure to agree a resolution condemning the violence.

“The UN route is not finished. There is still room for movement on that front.

“We also need to continue to apply pressure on both Russian and Syrian authorities to end the violence.”

Amnesty says people in the UK can harness the power of social media to draw attention to issues in Syria and Egypt, but urges caution in verifying sources before tweeting or posting accounts on Facebook.

“Inform yourself. But it’s important in this age of social networking to be aware. Pause before you start amplifying stories that may not be credible,” Mr Benedict said.