 |
Mr. Koki, 40, is a Syrian religious figure known throughout the Arab world. At the time of his arrest, the Political Security agents who arrested him did not have a judicial warrant and did not provide the reasons for his arrest. He was taken to an unknown location and his family has not heard from him since.
There is no doubt that the incommunicado detention of Mr. Koki is solely motivated by his public appearance on the Faisal Qassem's famous Al-Jazeera TV show "The Opposite Direction", during which he expressed religious views that might offend the Syrian authorities.
His arrest is a blatant violation of Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Syria.
Alkarama expresses its extreme concern over the fate of Mr. Koki and fears he may be subjected to torture or inhuman and degrading treatment. Alkarama has informed several of the UN's special procedures of the urgency of his case, including the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression.