Lack of access has prevented the United Nations, the international community and humanitarian workers from knowing the full toll, yet credible reports indicate at least more than 5,400 people were killed as of last year. We have not been able to have credible information [on] how many more people have been killed between 1 January and today. Every day those numbers rise. We see neighborhoods shelled by tanks. Hospitals used as torture centers. Children as young as ten years old jailed and abused. We see almost certain crimes against humanity. The UN places the death toll around 5,000 people since the uprising started.

The growing unrest in Syria has drawn abundant international attention recently. Earlier this week, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official profile, JURIST news archive], in a speech to the UN General Assembly [JURIST report], called for the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. Pillay urged an investigation of Syrian government and military officials for possible crimes against humanity. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) [official website] claimed in early February that the past 11 months of violence in Syria have led to the deaths of hundreds of children [JURIST report]. In January, Ban demanded [JURIST reports] that al-Assad end violence against Syrian civilians.