A group of independent UN experts released a statement Monday condemning the violent riots on Capitol Hill that were intended to disrupt the formal counting of the electoral votes on January 6.

The statement called for a peaceful return to American democratic principles that have been challenged since the November 3 election, which had no evidence of widespread voter fraud even though President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly fought to overturn the election’s results. The experts, including 24 human rights experts and Special Rapporteurs who are unaffiliated with any government or organization, called the most recent attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election “shocking and incendiary.”

The short but pointed statement expressed solidarity with the American people and the principles of democracy, equality, and the rule of law and conveyed confidence that the US will “emerge strengthened from this crisis without damage to its institutions and with renewed commitment to peaceful pluralism, rule of law and democratic governance.”

In support of the results of the election, the experts stated, “We stand with the democratic outcomes of the recent elections and urge political leaders to do everything in their power to de-escalate tensions and unify the country in full respect for democracy and the rule of law.” The experts called upon all parts of the US government, private sector, and society to reaffirm their responsibility to uphold freedom of expression and due process of the law following the Capitol insurrection.

This statement is one of many made by US and world leaders who expressed similar sentiments in the aftermath of the events on January 6 and came only two days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated as the 46th President of the US on January 20 at noon.