SYRIA: Announcement of incomplete reforms while repression
is ongoing

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Copenhagen, April 21, 2011. The Euro-Mediterranean Human
Rights Network (EMHRN) denounces the attitude of the Syrian authorities who
claim to meet the demands of protesters by proclaiming incomplete reforms,
while continuing repression at the expense of severe human rights violations.

On April 21, the official Syrian press agency SANA announced
that President Bashar Al Asad has promulgated: decree 161 on the lifting of
state of emergency (in force since 1963), decree 53 abolishing the Supreme
State Security Court and decree 54 enacting a law recognizing the right to
peaceful demonstration.

"We can not take for granted the declarations from the
Syrian authorities as we have been used to their practice of double
discourse" said EMHRN president Kamel Jendoubi, adding that "the
announced measures are meaningful only if the repression ceases immediately and
that genuine democratic reforms are initiated."

The announcement comes as the repression caused in one month
at least 220 deaths among the protesters and hundreds of arbitrary arrests. The
testimonies of those released and the videos posted on social networks and in
the media demonstrate that people arrested have been systematically submitted
to ill treatments and acts of torture. Despite government’s claims, the slogans
chanted in a vast majority of demonstrations indicate that the protest movement
is spontaneous, unitary, peaceful, and non sectarian.

The EMHRN stresses that the lifting of the state of
emergency is not an end in itself but a claim which seeks to ensure legal
protection and physical integrity of the population, while putting an end to
the impunity of perpetrators of serious human rights violations. Kamel Jendoubi
stated "we are concerned that the Syrian authorities may pass alternative
measures that would lead to further human rights violations under the pretext
of preserving stability."

The EMHRN is also concerned about the decision to transfer
those convicted by the Supreme State Security Court (an exceptional court used
since its creation in 1963 to conduct unfair trials against opponents or human
rights defenders), to ordinary criminal courts, fearing that these legal
procedures may be unfair in the absence of reforms to ensure in practice the
separation of powers.

The EMHRN also considers that the adoption of a law that
would enable the Ministry of Interior to regulate the right to peaceful
demonstration should be accompanied by urgent measures that will allow the
respect of freedom of expression, freedom of association and to create
political parties, which are essential corollary of freedom of assembly.

The EMHRN urges the Syrian authorities:

    * To pursue their
claimed will to meet the expectations of the people by immediately releasing
all those detained for peacefully participating in demonstrations, putting an
end to arbitrary arrests and ill-treatments, and opening an independent
investigation with the participation of Human Rights organizations in regards
to all events which occurred since March 15 in Deraa, Homs, Lattakieh, Banyas
and the other Syrian towns.

    * To immediately
initiate a process of democratic reform in line with the announcements made by
president Al Asad including: the repeal of article 8 of the Constitution which
states that the Baath Party "leads the society and the state”, as well as
the Presidential decree 69 of September 30, 2008 which guarantees the impunity
for members of the security services, to dismantle the security services and
lift all restrictions to freedom of movement.

For more information, please contact:

Communication Officer, Henriette Irminger Sonne, +45
30828337

Shaima Abou Alkheir: +20 101077207