UN rapporteurs: Pager explosions a horrific violation of international law

UN human rights experts on Thursday condemned the malicious manipulation of pagers and walkie-talkies to explode simultaneously across Lebanon and Syria, describing it as a "horrific violation" of international law. These attacks resulted in the martyrdom of at least 32 people and the maiming or wounding of thousands, including more than 200 critical cases. Among the martyrs were a boy and a girl, in addition to members of the medical staff. About 500 people suffered serious eye injuries, including a diplomat, while others suffered serious injuries to their faces, hands and bodies. 'These attacks violate the human right to life, in the absence of any indication that the victims posed an imminent lethal threat to anyone else at the time,' the independent UN experts said in a press release. The UN independent experts noted that such attacks require a prompt and independent investigation to establish the truth and enable accountability for the killing, expressing their deepest solidarity with the victims of these attacks. Such attacks could constitute "the war crimes of murder, attacking civilians and launching indiscriminate attacks, as well as violating the right to life," the experts said, noting that humanitarian law prohibits the use of booby traps in the form of apparently harmless portable objects that are specifically designed and constructed with explosives. The UN experts added that booby traps are devices designed to kill or injure, and are triggered unexpectedly when someone performs a seemingly safe action, such as answering a pager. Source: Maan News Agency