European countries call for the perpetrators of "horrendous crimes" committed during Syria conflict to be put on trial.
By JPOST.COM STAFFInternational Criminal Court in the Netherlands 370(photo credit: REUTERS/Michael Kooren)
Four EU member states urged the UN to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court, in a joint letter Austria’s Foreign Ministry released to CNN on Friday.Austria, Denmark, Ireland and Slovenia lamented the “horrendous crimes” that have been committed during the conflict in Syria and bemoaned the fact that there have been no consequences for the perpetrators.“A referral to the ICC would make clear to every fighter on all sides of the conflict that the gravest crimes will eventually be punished,” the foreign ministers of the four countries wrote.Click for full JPost coverageThe letter cites an attack by Syrians on Austrian UN peacekeepers on the Golan Heights as well as reports of Syria using chemical weapons as reasons for immediate action.Since Syria is not a party to the ICC Statute, the UN Security Council would need to refer Syria to the court for it to have jurisdiction.
