\nURGENT ACTION\n<\/p>\n
\nTORTURE FEARS FOR DETAINED SYRIAN MAN<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n \n‘Awad Jassim ‘Abbas has been held incommunicado since his \n‘Awad ‘Abbas was arrested at his home in al-Dumayr, \nA former detainee at the Air Force Security branch in \nAmnesty International is particularly concerned about ‘Awad \nAmnesty International believes that ‘Awad ‘Abbas may be a \nPlease write immediately in Arabic, English French or your \n· \n· \n· \nPLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 7 SEPTEMBER 2011 TO:\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 \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 \nAlso send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to \nName Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email \nPlease check with your section office if sending appeals \nURGENT ACTION\n<\/p>\n \nTORTURE FEARS FOR DETAINED SYRIAN MAN\n<\/p>\n \nADDITIONAL INFORMATION\n<\/p>\n \nAir Force Security is one of the four main intelligence \nSyrian security forces have been carrying out widespread \nAmnesty International has previously documented cases of Syrian
\narrest on 14 May. Reports suggest he has been tortured or otherwise ill-treated
\nby Syrian security forces.\n<\/p>\n
\nnorth-east of the capital Damascus, during a raid by a reportedly large number
\nof armed members of Syrian Air Force Security. The security forces were
\nsearching for his brother Hussein Jassim ‘Abbas, who had gone into hiding due
\nto fears of being arrested because of his peaceful activities during the
\ncurrent protests calling for political reform. ‘Awad ‘Abbas also attended
\npro-reform protests, and Amnesty International believes his arrest and
\nsubsequent detention may be in connection with this.\n<\/p>\n
\nHarasta, near Damascus, has said that ‘Awad ‘Abbas was held in the cell next to
\nhis and told him that he was taken there following his arrest. Later his
\nrelatives were informed by the security forces that, although ‘Awad ‘Abbas had
\nnot been charged, he would not be released until his brother Hussein ‘Abbas
\nturned himself in. They were also told that ‘Awad ‘Abbas had been moved from
\nthe Air Force Security branch in Harasta to the State Security branch on
\nBaghdad Street in Damascus, where he is believed to be still held.\n<\/p>\n
\n‘Abbas’ safety after the former detainee at the Air Force Security branch in
\nHarasta reported that ‘Awad ‘Abbas told him that he had been tortured during
\nhis detention. A separate source in Syria has told Amnesty International that
\n‘Awad ‘Abbas also suffered from leg injuries and internal bleeding that
\nrequired urgent treatment, but did not know whether he was receiving adequate
\nmedical attention.\n<\/p>\n
\nprisoner of conscience, as he has apparently been detained on account of his
\nfamily relationship with his brother Hussein ‘Abbas and legitimately exercising
\nhis rights to freedom of expression and assembly.\n<\/p>\n
\nown language:\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Expressing concern that
\n‘Awad ‘Abbas has been held incommunicado since 14 May and has allegedly been
\nsubjected to torture or other ill-treatment in detention, and calling for these
\nallegations to be investigated promptly and for anyone responsible to be
\nbrought to justice;\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Urging the Syrian
\nauthorities to ensure ‘Awad ‘Abbas that is protected against further torture
\nand other ill-treatment and provided with any medical attention he may require;\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Expressing concern that
\n‘Awad ‘Abbas may be held solely because of his relationship with his brother
\nHussein ‘Abbas and his attendance of popular pro-reform demonstrations and
\nnoting that, if this is the case, Amnesty International would consider him a
\nprisoners of conscience and call for his immediate and unconditional release.\n<\/p>\n
\nyour country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:\n<\/p>\n
\nEmail address Salutation Salutation <\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nafter the above date. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nagencies in Syria. They have a history of arbitrarily arresting and detaining
\npeople on suspicion of dissent and are widely reported to practise torture and
\nother ill-treatment with impunity.\n<\/p>\n
\narrests in response to mass protests calling for political reform and
\nincreasingly for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, which began in
\nmid-March. The arrests have targeted people perceived to have organized or
\nopenly supported those protests, whether orally in public gatherings, in the
\nmedia, on the internet or elsewhere. They include political and human rights
\nactivists, mosque imams and journalists. The wave of arrests has forced a
\nnumber of political and human rights activists into hiding.\n<\/p>\n
\nsecurity forces arresting persons solely based on their family relations with
\npeople perceived as activists by the Syrian government. These include ‘Abd
\nal-Rahman Hammada and his brother Wa’el Hammada (Index: MDE 24\/033\/2011), as
\nwell as ‘Ali al-‘Abdullah (Torture fear for dozens arrested in Damascus suburb,
\n18 July 2011,\n<\/p>\n