Foreign Secretary: el-Houla atrocities "must be investigated"
Foreign Secretary William Hague has welcomed the Human Rights Council's resolution on Syria today.
![](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a37dae240f0b649cceb1839/s300_Main-building-gov.uk.jpg)
“I welcome today’s meeting of the Human Rights Council and the adoption of a resolution on Syria which Britain co-sponsored.
“We believe that the acts committed by the Syrian regime may amount to crimes against humanity and other international crimes, and demonstrate a pattern of widespread and systematic attacks against civilian populations.
“Evidence from the UN Supervision Mission in Syria and independent witnesses has confirmed that security forces shelled the village of el-Houla and that government militia then went house to house slaughtering entire families without compassion or mercy.
“These atrocities must be investigated, and those responsible must be held to account. A special and independent investigation into el-Houla is essential - including to ensure that evidence is gathered and preserved for future justice processes.
“Britain will support these efforts, and will continue to prepare the ground for a referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.”
The resolution was passed with 41 votes in favour and 3 against.