URGENT ACTION
ARRESTED PROTESTORS REPORT TORTURE
Fifty-two people detained in connection with continuing
popular protests in Syria have been released; six of them have been charged and
face trial. Four others are still detained but no longer held incommunicado,
while five continue to be held incommunicado and the status and whereabouts of
76 others remain unknown. Hundreds of protestors are believed to be detained
incommunicado at unknown locations across Syria, amid reports of torture and
other ill-treatment.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged for a second time
on 15 April to release all protest-related detainees, except those accused of
committing crimes “against the nation and the citizens”, but hundreds of
protestors are believed still to be held and to be at risk of torture or other
ill-treatment.
Those recently detained include: Mohammed Zaid Mastou, a
journalist with dual Syrian–Norwegian nationality who is reported to have been
assaulted by security officials who took him from an internet cafe on 6 April;
Khaled Sid Mohand, an Algerian freelance journalist who has contributed to Le
Monde, who was arrested on 9 April; Ahmed Ma’touq, a political activist
arrested on 10 April; Mohammed Dia’a al-Din Daghmash, a human rights activist
arrested on 16 April by Military Security officials, and Mahmoud ‘Issa, a human
rights activist detained by Political Security officials on 19 April. They may
be prisoners of conscience. They are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.
The five detainees referred to in the Urgent Action of 23
March and update of 30 March who continue to be detained incommunicado are
Bara’ah Kalziyeh, Mohammed Mounir al-Faqir, Mohammed Darwich, Usama Qashou’ and
Ibrahim Qashou’.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, English, French or your
own language:
–
Expressing concern about
the continuing detentions despite President Assad’s instructions on 25 March
and 15 April that all those detained in connection with the protests are to be
released;
–
Calling for the immediate
and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, and for all other
detainees to be either released or brought to trial on recognizable charges and
in full conformity with international fair trial standards and without recourse
to the death penalty;
–
Urging the Syrian
authorities to ensure that all detainees are protected against torture or other
ill-treatment, are granted immediate access to their families, lawyers of their
choosing and any medical treatment they may need.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 2 JUNE 2011 TO:
President
Bashar al-Assad
Presidential Palace
al-Rashid Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 332 3410
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Interior
Major General Mohamed Ibrahim al-Sha’aar
Ministry of Interior
‘Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 222 3428
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Walid al-Mu’allim
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
al-Rashid Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 214 6251
Salutation: Your Excellency
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to
your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after
the above date. This is the second update of UA 87/11. Further information:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE24/014/2011/en
URGENT ACTION
ARRESTED PROTESTORS REPORT TORTURE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Popular protests in Syria have intensified in the last few
weeks and there have been increasing calls by protestors in cities such as
Dera’a and Homs for fundamental changes to the present political system and the
domination of President al-Assad’s Ba’ath Party. In the face of such demands
and the pressure imposed by the growing tide of protest that has spread across
Syria, despite ongoing repression and shootings of protestors, on 21 April the
national state of emergency was finally lifted after being in force
continuously for the past 48 years. The
government said it would issue a new law on the right to peaceful protest, but
the details of this are not yet available.
However, it appears that these changes may be “too little too late” to
end the cycle of protests and demands for change.
Since 15 March at least 238 people have been killed and many
others injured in Damascus and other cities and towns, including Dera’a,
al-Tall, al-Samamayn, Homs, Latakia, Banias, Duma, many of them as a result of
excessive, including lethal, force by the security forces. Hundreds of people
have been arrested; many of these have been tortured or assaulted according to
Syrian human rights NGOs, particularly in Dera’a, Duma and Banias that have
witnessed large scale demonstrations. One human rights activist has told
Amnesty International that a hospital doctor working in Banias reported on 4
April that he had seen 30 men who had recently been released, many of whom had
sustained broken bones, had bruising and, in some case, alleged that they had
been tortured by having sticks forced into their anuses.
Amnesty International received a video documenting the
arrest of men from al-Baydah village on 12 April:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjZ-kcLjeUE&feature=youtu.be&skipcontrinter=1
Amnesty International also received a number of videos of
men, including children, showing bruises and injuries apparently caused by
torture:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvTafrhLAik&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXL0feLK1gk
http://img818.imageshack.us/g/814y.jpg/
In addition to protestors those held also include bloggers,
lawyers and journalists. Amnesty International has been able to verify the fate
of 142 of the detainees who were arrested between 8 and 28 March; 57 were
released between 20 March and 16 April,
six of whom have been charged with offences and are awaiting trial.
Those released include Duha Hassan, a woman protestor, and
Mohammed Radwan, an Egyptian-American engineer, both released on 1 April;
Mohammed al-Khatib, released in April; Hussein ‘Issa, a lawyer, released on 3
April; Abu Baker Ayoub Sha’ban, released on 5 April, Hussein al-Labwani and
Mahmoud al-Ghorani, released on charge on 5 and 6 April respectively; and Ahmad
Hudaifa, a blogger released on 14 April.
‘Abd al-Hakim Mukareb, Mohammed ‘Amer al-Khalid, Mohammed
Ahmed Houriyeh and Ahmed Tayseer Hamoud remain in prison but are no longer held
incommunicado. They have been charged with offences and may be tried before
either the Military or Criminal Courts. Amnesty International is still
verifying the details of their charges and where they are being held.
Nidal al-Sheikh Hamoudeh, Suleiman Nahili and Tamer
al-Jahamani, three lawyers previously mentioned in the Urgent Action update of
30 March are among the 76 detainees whose situation remains unclear; they may
still be held in incommunicado detention.
Further information on UA: 87/11 Index: MDE 204/0016/2011
Issue Date: 21 April 2011