<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The United Nations' Human Rights Chief has criticised the Security Council for failing to defend human rights and prevent further loss of life in Syria where the war that has killed nearly half a million people enters its eighth year.&nbsp;</span></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Mr Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said many who had sought to document human rights violations had been detained, tortured or killed. He said the Council has not lived up to the sacrifice of these heroes throughout Syria.</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The High Commissioner for Human Rights spoke at an informal meeting at the UN shortly after his expected briefing to the Security Council was blocked when Russia requested a procedural vote. The 15 members of the Council attended the informal meeting.</div>''<div class="yj6qo" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>