ACTING HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBING OF RUSSIAN MILITARY HOSPITAL

4 August 2003



The following statement was issued today by the spokesman for the Acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

Bertrand Ramcharan, Acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, today strongly condemned last Friday's terrorist bombing of a Russian military hospital in Mozdok, North Ossetia, that killed 50 people and injured dozens others. He said that all terrorist attacks were reprehensible and criminal, by whomsoever committed.

He added that the terrorist bombing of a hospital could under, no circumstances, be justified and expressed deep anguish that recent terrorist bombings in different parts of the world had even targeted places of worship, as had occurred recently in Pakistan.

The Acting High Commissioner called for a rallying of public sentiment against such dreadful acts and for the strengthening of international resolve to combat terrorism and to bring terrorists to justice, in accordance with the principles of international human rights law.




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