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HaithamALMALEH

Twenty-one human rights organisations have signed the following press release as a result of deep concerns for the deteriorating health of Syrian lawyer, Mr. Haitham Al-Maleh, currently held against his will at Damascus Central Prison (Adra).

Maan-Aqil
Alkarama has just been informed that Syrian journalist, Ma'an Aqil, was released by the Syrian authorities on Tuesday 23 February 2010, after spending nearly three months in jail without any legal proceedings.
abderrahmankoki
Alkarama has just learned that Abdul Rahman Koki was released following a Presidential pardon yesterday, Tuesday, 16 February 2010.
abderrahmankoki
Alkarama regretfully informs that Sheikh Abdulrahman Koki was sentenced to one year imprisonment on 10 February 2010.
pirrostom
Ahmad Mustafa Ben Mohamed,
aka Pir Rostom
Alkarama has received information regarding the reappearance of eight members of the Kurdish community of Qamishli who were disappeared since 2008. They were arrested between late August 2008 and late November 2008, and no information about their fate or whereabouts was given to their families until they were brought before the State Security Court in Damascus on 13 September 2009. After the hearing, they were transferred to the political wing of Adra prison.

Alkarama today submitted to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention the case of Abdurrahman Koki, a 40 year old Syrian religious figure arrested on 22 October 2009 by the Political Security branch of the Syrian intelligence services for having expressed his religious and political views on a widely watched program on the satellite television channel Aljazeera.

Alkarama today referred to the United Nations Secretary General the case of Mr Haithem Al Maleh, the 78 year-old Syrian lawyer and human rights defender who has been charged with "conveying false news" by a Syrian Military Court despite the fact that he holds no military status.
Alkarama is surprised at the response which the Syrian authorities gave to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) when asked in 2006 whether Mr Nizar Rastanawi, a Syrian human rights defender, was still arbitrarily detained. The Syrian government responded that Mr Rastanawi had been released. Thus on 16 November 2006, the WGAD adopted Opinion 35/2006 in which they filed the case.
Alkarama has received an important update regarding Ziad Wasef Ramadan, a Syrian arrested in 2005. Following Ziad Ramadan's first family-visit in over two years on 23 August 2009, reports now confirm that Mr Ramadan's health has severely deteriorated after being subjected to continuous solitary confinement since September 2007. Ziad Ramadan's family had previously visited him on 22 September 2007, after he was transferred to the Palestinian Branch of Damascus prison, in September 2007.