\nURGENT ACTION\n<\/p>\n
\nARRESTED PROTESTORS REPORT TORTURE <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n \nFifty-two people detained in connection with continuing \nSyrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged for a second time \nThose recently detained include: Mohammed Zaid Mastou, a \nThe five detainees referred to in the Urgent Action of 23 \nPLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, English, French or your \n– \n– \n– \nPLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 2 JUNE 2011 TO:\n<\/p>\n \n <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nPresident\n<\/p>\n \nBashar al-Assad <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nPresidential Palace\n<\/p>\n \nal-Rashid Street <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nDamascus, Syrian Arab Republic <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nFax: +963 11 332 3410\n<\/p>\n \nSalutation: Your Excellency\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \nMinister of Interior\n<\/p>\n \nMajor General Mohamed Ibrahim al-Sha’aar <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nMinistry of Interior\n<\/p>\n \n‘Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar Street <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nDamascus, Syrian Arab Republic\n<\/p>\n \nFax: +963 11 222 3428\n<\/p>\n \nSalutation: Your Excellency\n<\/p>\n \nAnd copies to:\n<\/p>\n \nMinister of Foreign Affairs\n<\/p>\n \nWalid al-Mu’allim <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nMinistry of Foreign Affairs\n<\/p>\n \nal-Rashid Street\n<\/p>\n \nDamascus, Syrian Arab Republic <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nFax: +963 11 214 6251\n<\/p>\n \nSalutation: Your Excellency\n<\/p>\n \n <\/span>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \nAlso send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to \n <\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nURGENT ACTION\n<\/p>\n \nARRESTED PROTESTORS REPORT TORTURE\n<\/p>\n \nADDITIONAL INFORMATION\n<\/p>\n \nPopular protests in Syria have intensified in the last few \nSince 15 March at least 238 people have been killed and many \nAmnesty International received a video documenting the \nhttp:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sjZ-kcLjeUE&feature=youtu.be&skipcontrinter=1<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n
\npopular protests in Syria have been released; six of them have been charged and
\nface trial. Four others are still detained but no longer held incommunicado,
\nwhile five continue to be held incommunicado and the status and whereabouts of
\n76 others remain unknown. Hundreds of protestors are believed to be detained
\nincommunicado at unknown locations across Syria, amid reports of torture and
\nother ill-treatment.\n<\/p>\n
\non 15 April to release all protest-related detainees, except those accused of
\ncommitting crimes “against the nation and the citizens”, but hundreds of
\nprotestors are believed still to be held and to be at risk of torture or other
\nill-treatment.\n<\/p>\n
\njournalist with dual Syrian–Norwegian nationality who is reported to have been
\nassaulted by security officials who took him from an internet cafe on 6 April;
\nKhaled Sid Mohand, an Algerian freelance journalist who has contributed to Le
\nMonde, who was arrested on 9 April; Ahmed Ma’touq, a political activist
\narrested on 10 April; Mohammed Dia’a al-Din Daghmash, a human rights activist
\narrested on 16 April by Military Security officials, and Mahmoud ‘Issa, a human
\nrights activist detained by Political Security officials on 19 April. They may
\nbe prisoners of conscience. They are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.\n<\/p>\n
\nMarch and update of 30 March who continue to be detained incommunicado are
\nBara’ah Kalziyeh, Mohammed Mounir al-Faqir, Mohammed Darwich, Usama Qashou’ and
\nIbrahim Qashou’.\n<\/p>\n
\nown language:\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Expressing concern about
\nthe continuing detentions despite President Assad’s instructions on 25 March
\nand 15 April that all those detained in connection with the protests are to be
\nreleased;\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Calling for the immediate
\nand unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, and for all other
\ndetainees to be either released or brought to trial on recognizable charges and
\nin full conformity with international fair trial standards and without recourse
\nto the death penalty;\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Urging the Syrian
\nauthorities to ensure that all detainees are protected against torture or other
\nill-treatment, are granted immediate access to their families, lawyers of their
\nchoosing and any medical treatment they may need.\n<\/p>\n
\nyour country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after
\nthe above date. This is the second update of UA 87\/11. Further information:
\nhttp:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/library\/info\/MDE24\/014\/2011\/en\n<\/p>\n
\nweeks and there have been increasing calls by protestors in cities such as
\nDera’a and Homs for fundamental changes to the present political system and the
\ndomination of President al-Assad’s Ba’ath Party. In the face of such demands
\nand the pressure imposed by the growing tide of protest that has spread across
\nSyria, despite ongoing repression and shootings of protestors, on 21 April the
\nnational state of emergency was finally lifted after being in force
\ncontinuously for the past 48 years. <\/span>The
\ngovernment said it would issue a new law on the right to peaceful protest, but
\nthe details of this are not yet available.
\n<\/span>However, it appears that these changes may be “too little too late” to
\nend the cycle of protests and demands for change.\n<\/p>\n
\nothers injured in Damascus and other cities and towns, including Dera’a,
\nal-Tall, al-Samamayn, Homs, Latakia, Banias, Duma, many of them as a result of
\nexcessive, including lethal, force by the security forces. Hundreds of people
\nhave been arrested; many of these have been tortured or assaulted according to
\nSyrian human rights NGOs, particularly in Dera’a, Duma and Banias that have
\nwitnessed large scale demonstrations. One human rights activist has told
\nAmnesty International that a hospital doctor working in Banias reported on 4
\nApril that he had seen 30 men who had recently been released, many of whom had
\nsustained broken bones, had bruising and, in some case, alleged that they had
\nbeen tortured by having sticks forced into their anuses.\n<\/p>\n
\narrest of men from al-Baydah village on 12 April:\n<\/p>\n