PARIS: The UN Security Council will hold talks about the situation in Syria on Monday, French Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on his Twitter feed on Sunday.
He added that France would press for humanitarian access.
Le Drian said earlier on Sunday that France had called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council over Syria following a Turkish incursion into northern Syria’s Afrin province.
He also condemned indiscriminate bombing by the Syrian regime in Idlib province and asked for immediate access for humanitarian aid to eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 citizens face a critical situation.
However, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has criticized France over its decision.
Cavusoglu told reporters in Baghdad on Sunday that Turkey expected France to stand by an ally country and not with a "terror organization."
Cavusoglu said if France does "not act like ally... then it would be treated as a country that sides with terrorists." Turkey considers Syrian Kurdish militia group that controls the enclave of Afrin to be terrorists because of their affiliation with Kurdish rebels fighting inside Turkey.
The minister's comments were televised live on Turkish television.
Earlier, France in a statement urged Turkish authorities "to act with restraint in a context where the humanitarian situation is deteriorating in several regions of Syria."
UN Security Council to discuss Syria on Monday
UN Security Council to discuss Syria on Monday
UN rights chief urges Iran to end violent crackdown, warns against death penalty
- Volker Turk: ‘The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop’
- Iranians’ grievances must be heard and addressed, and ‘not instrumentalized by anyone’
NEW YORK: The UN high commissioner for human rights on Tuesday urged Iran to immediately halt violence and repression against peaceful protesters, restore full access to the internet and telecommunications, and ensure accountability for serious human rights violations.
Volker Turk said he is horrified by reports of mounting violence by security forces against demonstrators across Iran, with hundreds reported killed and thousands arrested since protests erupted earlier this month.
“The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop, and the labeling of protesters as ‘terrorists’ to justify violence against them is unacceptable,” he added.
It is “extremely worrying” to see public statements by Iranian judicial officials indicating the possible use of the death penalty against protesters through expedited judicial proceedings, Turk said.
He added that the protests echo mass demonstrations seen in 2022, with broad segments of the population demanding fundamental changes in governance.
He also criticized authorities for responding with what he described as brutal force to suppress legitimate demands.
“This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue,” he said, adding that all killings, violence against protesters and other alleged abuses must be investigated in line with international human rights standards, and those responsible held to account.
Turk also expressed alarm over reports that hospitals are overwhelmed by casualties, including children, and said nationwide internet and telecommunications shutdowns have hampered verification of events and obstructed independent human rights monitoring.
Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown on Jan. 8, which the UN said has disrupted freedom of expression, access to information, and emergency and lifesaving services. There are also reports that members of Iran’s security forces have been killed during the unrest.
Iranians have the right to demonstrate peacefully, Turk said, adding that their grievances must be heard and addressed, and “not instrumentalized by anyone.”
