Britain funds Syrian opposition to record rights abuses

Britain doubled its funding for the Syrian opposition to almost $1.6 million on Thursday, directed at helping activists inside Syria to record human rights abuses.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced extra funds for "non-lethal support" to civil society groups and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The funds provided so far have gone towards training, communications and advice for groups outside Syria, but the new money will be focused on improving the recording of human rights violations by the regime, officials said.
Britain also sent its own team of experts, lawyers and forensic specialists to neighboring countries last month to gather testimony that may be used to hold individuals to account in the future, the Foreign Office said.
In a speech in London, Hague said he had "agreed to provide a further half a million pounds of British support to Syria's political opposition. It includes agreement in principle for practical non-lethal support to them inside Syria.
"It will help hard-pressed opposition groups and brave civil society organizations inside and outside the country to document the regime's violations and gain the skills and resources they need to help build a democratic future for Syria."
A British diplomat, who asked to remain anonymous, said that only the UN Security Council could indict members of the Syrian regime for crimes against humanity, but this would likely be blocked by Russia.
"We know that is not achievable at this point... so we are focusing on things we can do on that track. It's like building a case, you have to start somewhere," the diplomat said.
The experts sent to the region last month were intended to help ensure that "that body of evidence is there".
The details of how the money will be spent will be decided at the Friends of Syria meeting in Istanbul on Sunday, when Britain hopes that other countries will join its efforts to record rights abuses, officials said.

Britain doubled its funding for the Syrian opposition to almost $1.6 million on Thursday, directed at helping activists inside Syria to record human rights abuses.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced extra funds for "non-lethal support" to civil society groups and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The funds provided so far have gone towards training, communications and advice for groups outside Syria, but the new money will be focused on improving the recording of human rights violations by the regime, officials said.
Britain also sent its own team of experts, lawyers and forensic specialists to neighboring countries last month to gather testimony that may be used to hold individuals to account in the future, the Foreign Office said.
In a speech in London, Hague said he had "agreed to provide a further half a million pounds of British support to Syria's political opposition. It includes agreement in principle for practical non-lethal support to them inside Syria.
"It will help hard-pressed opposition groups and brave civil society organizations inside and outside the country to document the regime's violations and gain the skills and resources they need to help build a democratic future for Syria."
A British diplomat, who asked to remain anonymous, said that only the UN Security Council could indict members of the Syrian regime for crimes against humanity, but this would likely be blocked by Russia.
"We know that is not achievable at this point... so we are focusing on things we can do on that track. It's like building a case, you have to start somewhere," the diplomat said.
The experts sent to the region last month were intended to help ensure that "that body of evidence is there".
The details of how the money will be spent will be decided at the Friends of Syria meeting in Istanbul on Sunday, when Britain hopes that other countries will join its efforts to record rights abuses, officials said.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon