Brussels, 13/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published on Monday 12 September, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton, strongly condemned the assassination of the human rights activist, Ghiath Matar, during his detention by Syrian security forces. “He was killed for his resolve to stand up peacefully to the brutal repression perpetrated by the Syrian regime”, Ashton said, underlining that his death “adds to the great number of people who have fallen victim to the Syrian regime's policy of arbitrary killing, injury, detention, torture and abuse of peaceful protestors, and other widespread violations of human rights. It is yet another sign of the brutality with which the regime responds to the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people”. She states that all perpetrators of such acts must be held to account, before adding: “The EU salutes the courage and determination of the Syrian people which they continue to demonstrate every day despite the repression. The EU demands that Bashar al-Assad and his regime stop their violent campaign without delay and release all detained protestors”. Ashton concludes: “The EU reiterates that the regime must clear the way towards a peaceful transition to democracy in Syria”. (C-C.G./transl.jl)