"We've never seen such horror"

"Since the beginning of anti-government protests in March 2011, Syrian security forces have killed hundreds of protesters and arbitrarily arrested thousands, subjecting many of them to brutal torture in detention. The security forces routinely prevented the wounded from getting medical assistance, and imposed a siege on several towns, depriving the population of basic services. This report, based on more than 50 interviews with witnesses and victims, focuses on the abuses in Daraa governorate in southwestern Syria, where some of the worst violence took place. The nature and scale of abuses, which, as Human Rights Watch research indicates, were not only systematic but implemented as part of a state policy, strongly suggest these abuses qualify as crimes against humanity. Human Rights Watch calls on the Syrian government to immediately halt the use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators and unconditionally release those arbitrarily arrested. It calls on the Security Council to push for investigation and prosecution of the grave systemic violations committed in Syria, and, failing the appropriate governmental steps to do so, refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court."--P. [4] of cover.