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When army tanks recently rolled into the city of Dera’a in southern Syria and began shelling residential areas, the human rights crisis in the country reached a new low.

More than 511 people have died across Syria since protestors calling for political reform took to the streets in mid-March. Hundreds of people have been arbitrarily arrested and detained incommunicado, placing them at serious risk of torture and other ill-treatment.  Torture of detainees has long been common and endemic in Syria.

We have repeatedly urged the Syrian government to rein in the security forces, cease unlawful killings and other excessive force, and for independent investigations and accountability – with those responsible for human rights violations being brought to justice.

The Syrian authorities have failed to take these steps and intensified repression. Consequently, we have called on the UN Security Council to refer Syria to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, to impose an arms embargo and to freeze the assets abroad of the Syrian President and his senior associates.

The peaceful protests began in February, inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt – where popular protests brought the downfall of longstanding presidents – and organised partly through social networking sites such as Facebook. But they really took off after 18 March when security forces fired on peaceful protestors in Dera’a using live ammunition, killing several people. The protestors were calling for the release of a local youth who had been arrested for scrawling ‘the people want the downfall of the regime’ on a wall in the city.

Since then protests have mushroomed and taken place in many different towns and cities, and they have been met with increasing repression – killings, arrests and torture. Even so, the protests have continued as Syrians risk the bullets to demand their rights.

UPDATE, 4 MAY: We have received first-hand accounts of torture from Syrian detainees, including one man who was stripped, beaten and made to lick his own blood off the floor. Read latest news

Take action: help ensure an end to the bloodshed

A girl at the demonstration on Pearl roundabout, Manama, Bahrain, 21 February 2011 © Amnesty International

As protests, uprisings, crackdowns and armed attacks continue across the Middle East and North Africa, we bring you up to date on events from a human rights perspective.

Libya
As the conflict in Libya rages on between Colonel al-Gaddafi’s forces, armed rebels based in Benghazi and international forces attacking from the air, we have issued a Q&A examining the human rights issues at stake.

Our crisis researcher based in Libya, Donatella Rovera, has published a new blog in which she describes how the situation has significantly deteriorated in Benghazi and elsewhere in eastern Libya in the past few days. You can also read our press team’s most recent blogs about Libya.

We have also issued a public statement calling on the Libyan authorities to release four Al Jazeera journalists held incommunicado since they were detained while trying to leave the country two weeks ago.

Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing violence and persecution in Libya and desperately seeking safety in neighbouring countries. Take action to protect refugees fleeing Libya.

UK arms might have played a role in the brutal crackdown in Libya and elsewhere in the region. Write to the foreign secretary to call for a robust arms trade treaty.

Bahrain
We have urged the Bahraini authorities to ensure the safety of people participating in peaceful protests and of all detainees after allegations of torture by demonstrators.

We have also called for the immediate release of eight prominent Bahraini opposition activists who were arrested following a violent dispersal of demonstrators in Manama. The eight activists, mainly leading members of Shi’a opposition groups prominent in the ongoing protests for reform, were arrested last Thursday in armed raids on their homes. The security forces did not produce arrest warrants and the authorities have not revealed where the detainees have been taken, or allowed them access to lawyers or their families.

Read our report on Bahrain – Bloodied but unbowed, or read our press team’s blog posts about this country.

Egypt
We have issued a statement calling on Egyptian authorities to investigate serious allegations of torture, including forced ‘virginity tests’, inflicted by the army on women protesters arrested in Tahrir Square earlier this month.

Egyptians have strongly backed constitutional changes that will allow the country to move quickly on to elections since the resignation of President Mubarak in February. Official results show that 77% of voters in Saturday’s referendum backed the changes. Pro-democracy activists said the changes did not go far enough.

Yemen
We have called on Yemen to stop its security forces using excessive force as protesters and journalists continue to be attacked at peaceful demonstrations around the country, and targeted in ‘night raids’ and sniper attacks.

Syria
We have called on Syrian authorities to launch an independent investigation into the deaths of at least six anti-government protesters during continuing unrest in the southern city of Dera’a. Protestors were calling for political freedoms, an end to corruption and the release of political prisoners. Scores more have been injured by bullets and tear gas and many more have been detained.

As the dust starts to settle on the White House following the whirlwind of activity since Obama’s inauguration, it is easier to take stock of what’s actually happened.  

It seems that everything is pretty rosy, especially according to what Amnesty asked from for the new US President – Obama has ordered the closure of Guantanamo detention centre and banned torture, both big deals for us human rights fans.   

However, whilst this is being celebrated, the conversation on ProtectTheHuman.com is also buzzing around the possible cracks in the new administration that need to be looked at.  For example,  a Jack Bauer exception which may provide loopholes to the ban on torture - although there are many bloggers who discredit this and put their faith firmly in Obama. The question of ‘when is torture torture and when is it a technique?’ still seems to haunt US authorities. 

It’s important  to keep positive about the steps that have been taken towards creating a much more human rights friendly US – but remember to keep your eyes peeled and ProtectTheHuman.com  updated with all the latest so that we can keep pushing the new administration in the right direction.