Aust backs criminal court move on Syria

Print Page Published: 03:37:37 AM, Sat 12 January 2013

Australia has supported a move from more than 50 nations to call for the UN security council to refer the crisis in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

A draft letter signed by Switzerland on behalf of dozens of nations says the crisis in Syria should be referred to the Hague-based war crimes tribunal.

The draft states a probe should be "without exceptions and irrespective of the alleged perpetrators", according to The Associated Press.

A spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr said on Saturday that Australia would sign the letter "in the next few days".

"We support the intent of the Swiss letter."

The letter cites the findings of a UN expert panel documenting summary executions, torture and sexual violence that has occurred since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011.

Australia took up its two-year term on the Security Council from January 1.

The UN's human rights office issued a report last week estimating that at least 60,000 people have died in Syria since the start of the conflict.

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