Articles for Syria

Syria : Arbitrary detention of Ma'an Aqil

Forces from General Intelligence Directorate arrested Ma'an Aqil from his office at Al-Thawra newspaper in Damascus on 22 November 2009. He was originally arrested in 1987 for his political beliefs and spent nine years in prison.

Ma'an Aqil is a prominent journalist in Syria, known for his investigations into corruption within government and privately-owned pharmaceutical companies.

10 Dec 2009
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Syria: Two religious leaders held incommunicado, without trial, risk of torture

Since the publication on 16 October 2005 of the "Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change", calling for peaceful change in Syria, the Syrian regime has arbitrarily detained hundreds of political and human rights activists, in an attempt to silence the growing support for the declaration. The Syrian government continues to arbitrarily detain those who oppose or criticize government policies, including community leaders, human rights activists, and pro-democracy reformers.
02 Dec 2009
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Syria: Prominent figure, Yusuf al-Dheeb, victim of an enforced disappearance, fears of torture

On 15 November 2009, in the north-eastern town of Deir al-Zour, Yusuf Abdallah al-Dheeb  (يوسف عبد الله الذيب) was arrested from his home by armed gunmen dressed in civilian clothes - the identity of the forces responsible for his arrest remains unknown. To date, his family is still unaware of his whereabouts.

Yussuf al-Dheeb is a member of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration, and is a prominent figure in Deir al-Zour.

23 Nov 2009
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Syria: Haithem al-Maleh’s case sent to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

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On 13 October 2009, Haitham al-Maleh, was summoned by Syrian Political Security in Damascus for an inquiry and has since vanished.
27 Oct 2009
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Syria: Sheikh Abdurrahman Koki arrested in Syria.

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Sheikh Abdurahman Koki, was arrested after being summoned to the Political Security headquarters in Damascus on 22 October 2009 upon his return from Doha after having appeared on an Al-Jazeera television show.

Mr. Koki, 40, is a Syrian religious figure known throughout the Arab world.

26 Oct 2009
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Syria: Rights activist and Lawyer Al-Maleh, disappeared after refusing summons

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On 13 October 2009, Haitham al-Maleh was summoned by Syrian Political Security in Damascus for an inquiry and has since vanished. At 12:00, when friends tried to contact him, his phone was off. Mr.
20 Oct 2009
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Syria: Ziad Ramadan, arbitrarily detained since July 2005

On 14 Feburary 2005, while living in Lebanon, Ziad Wasef Ramadan was questioned by Lebanese authorities in connection with the assassination of Rafiq Al-Hariri.
14 Sep 2009
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Syria: Latest - Two disappearances at the Syrian-Lebanese border

Alkarama has received information concerning Faris Al-Turkawi and Mossab Bakkor, both Syrian citizens, who were disappeared this year at the Lebanese-Syrian border.  The Lebanese General Security Services extradited them to Syria where they were taken under the authority of the Syrian Intelligence Services. To date, their families remain unaware of their whereabouts.

Their personal information is as follows:

11 Sep 2009
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Syria: Disappearance of Mr Shusha after more than 3 years detention under the political police

Shusha Mohammed, initially arrested by the political police in 2005, had first disappeared for one year. He was then detained at Adra Prison in Damascus; he later disappeared for a second time in February 2009.

Alkarama made an appeal to the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), asking it to intercede with the Syrian authorities in the case of Mr Shusha in order that he be released or at least be put under the protection of the law.

31 Jul 2009
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Syria: Nearly a year since the disappearance of Nabil Khlioui

On 14 August 2008 Nabil Khlioui was arrested at his home by the Syrian military intelligence services, and since then his family has no news of him.

Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, asking it to intercede with the Syrian authorities so that Mr Khlioui be released or placed under the protection of the law.

28 Jul 2009
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