Syrian human rights groups on Sunday condemned the use of "excessive force" against protesters in the south of the country and called for those responsible to be held to account.
Eight groups slammed "the violent and unjustified behaviour of the security authorities who used excessive force to disperse a peaceful demonstration in Daraa, killing four and wounding dozens."
"This policy, pursued by the authorities to disperse several other demonstrations in Damascus, Homs and Banias, reflects their severity towards the peaceful civil-society movement," they said in a joint statement.
"It also goes against the right to assembly guaranteed by the Syrian constitution and the government's commitments on human rights."
The human rights groups called on the Syrian government to open "an immediate and transparent inquiry" into the deaths in the southern town of Daraa and to "bring those implicated to justice."
Syrian authorities on Saturday already announced the establishment of a commission of inquiry on the violence in Daraa.
Demonstrations have taken place in Syria since last Tuesday after calls on Facebook demanding greater freedom in the country, which has been under emergency law since 1963.
The signatories to Sunday's statement includes the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights and the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria.
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