The Assyrian Human Rights Network has learned that a Damascus military judge issued today, Tuesday, September 11, 2012, a verdict regarding the defendants in the lawsuit filed against members of the Syrian Media Center. In the verdict, the judge indicated that the detention that they have served thus far has been sufficient. The defendants affected by this verdict are: Mayada Al-Khalil, Sanaa Muhsin, Razan Ghazzawi, Ayham Gazzoul, Bassam Al-Ahmed, Joanne Ahmed, Yara Badr, and Hanadi Zahlout.

Meanwhile, the fate of journalist Mazen Darwish, head of the Syrian Media Center, remains unknown after he was arrested along with his friends: Hani Al-Zitani, Hussein Ghareer, Abdel Rahman Hammada, and Mansour Al-Omari. They were arrested by the Air Force Intelligence in Damascus on February 16, 2012.

The Assyrian Human Rights Network expresses its deepest concern over the fate of journalist Mazen Darwish, the head of the Syrian Media Center, especially in light of the increasing suspicions regarding his fate due to his repeated absence from all previous hearings, in addition to the persistence of the Syrian authorities to transfer him to a secret field military court on unknown charges.
The Assyrian Human Rights Network appeals to international human rights and humanitarian organizations to quickly and effectively intervene to compel the Syrian authorities to disclose Darwish’s fate and release him immediately so that he can resume practicing his journalistic work, the freedom of which is guaranteed by the country’s constitution and by international laws.

It should be noted that Mazen Darwish was born in 1974, and in addition to being the head of the Syrian Media Center, he is also the vice president of the International Institution for Cooperation and Support in Brussels, and a member of the International Bureau of Reporters without Borders.

Assyrian Human Rights Network
Stockholm
September 11, 2012