Human rights organization Amnesty International advised Russia against blocking international efforts to end ongoing violence in Syria and to join a binding UN Security Council resolution.

The UN Security Council is discussing a new draft resolution on Syria proposed by the Arab League, which urges President Bashar al-Assad to step down. Russia along with China already vetoed a European-drafted resolution containing the threat of sanctions against Syria in October 2011.

“Russia’s threats to abort a binding UN Security Council resolution on Syria for the second time are utterly irresponsible. Russia bears a heavy responsibility for allowing the brutal crackdown on legitimate dissent in Syria to continue unchecked,” Jose Luis Diaz, Amnesty International's representative to the UN, said.

“Russia must work with other Security Council members to pass a strong and legally binding resolution that will help to end the bloodshed and human rights violations in Syria once and for all,” he added, RIA Novosti reported.