Monday, November 15, 2010

Prison sentence for protesting against Decree 49

November 13, 2010 by sks

According to Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD, the individual military judge on Qamishli sentenced four people on Tuesday, 9 November 2010 in case number 5641 of 2010. They are:
Luqman Hussein Ibrahim.
Salah Saeed Sheikhmous.
Abdul Ghafoor Hussein Hussein.
Saad Furman al-Hassan
They were each sentenced to one month imprisonment under the provisions of Article 336 of the Syrian Penal Code. They were previously detained between 15 September 2010 until 23 October 2010, and so their time had been served already, and judge was clear that the sentence can be appealed.
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD condemns the sentences imposed on these people. They consider the arrest and sentencing unfair and a clear violation of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution Public No. 52/144 on 12 September 1998, specifically in articles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD said that this demonstrates the determination of the Syrian authorities to move forward in the continuing violation of the simplest of public freedoms, and the prosecution of writers, political activists and human rights activists, civil society and those interested in public affairs in Syria. These actions however clash with Syria’s international commitments on human rights through the ratification of relevant international conventions.
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD calls upon the Syrian government to close the files on the trial and drop all charges against these citizens; to demand an end to the trial of Syrian citizens in front of special courts, including military courts, because it constitutes a violation of their right to a fair trial, They call for the commitment of the Syrian government to all international agreements on human rights that have been signed and ratified. In particular they call for the commitment of the Syrian government to recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights its 84th session of July 2005, and in particular the sixth paragraph on non-compliance with the provisions of the International Covenant regarding a State of Emergency – article 4, and to ensure these rights, including articles 9, 14, 19 and 22; and para.12 of these recommendations which require the State Party – Syria, to immediately release all persons detained because of their activities in the field of human rights, and to put an end to all practices of harassment and intimidation against human rights defenders. Dad calls for urgent measures to be put in place for the revision of all legislation that restricts the activities of human rights organizations, and private legislation on the State of Emergency that must not be used as a pretext for the suppression of activities designed to promote and protect human rights.
10 November 2010
Previous reports:
http://supportkurds.org/news/kurds-in-court-for-protesting-against-decree-49
http://supportkurds.org/news/four-kurds-disappear-after-reporting-to-state-security-in-qamishli