IHRC believes that the use of chemical weapons is abhorrent and vile.  IHRC has argues and continues to that, as with nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, that chemical weapons are a genocidal tool.  This is something we have undertaken much work on and forms part of the basis of Genocide Memorial Day (www.genocidememorialday.org) , and annual event organised by IHRC, which inter alia commemorates such heinous attacks as the killings in Halabja in 1988 by the regime of Saddam Hussein.

We restate this position in reference to reports of further chemical attacks in Syria in the last week.  Whosoever is responsible for this must be brought to justice under proper international rules and standards.  The victims of this and all other attacks must not be dishonoured further, by being used as an excuse for US / UK / French etc direct military intervention with the loss of further lives.

Notes to editors:

Over the weekend, a tweet from @Sanaa_English assigned a comment to the Chair of IHRC regarding the use of chemical weapons.  Neither the Chair of IHRC or any other spokesperson for the organisation has been interviewed by @Sanaa_english or any other Syrian channel or paper, nor have they made any comment about the use of chemical weapons thus far except for the above.