Articles for Syria

Syria: Disappearance of influential Islamic scholar, Moaz Al Khatib

Moaz Al Khatib, a well-known and widely respected Syrian Islamic scholar, was arrested by the Syrian Military Intelligence in Damascus on 27 April 2012.
10 May 2012
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Syria: Yacoub Shamoun released after 26 years of arbitrary detention

Today, Alkarama informed the United Nations Special Procedures that Mr Yacoub Shamoun, a Syrian national aged 48, was finally released on 14 March 2012, after almost 27 years of arbitrary detention.

Alkarama has been working on Mr Shamoun's case since July 2011, when we informed the United Nations Special Procedures of his arbitrary detention. In follow-up to the initial communication, we were pleased to share with the UN bodies the information of his release today, while reiterating our previous concerns about the unlawfulness of his long detention.

30 Apr 2012
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Syria: Release of Mr Khalous, on-going secret detention of Mr Anjileh

Today, Alkarama informed the United Nations Special Procedures about the recent development in the cases of two Syrian nationals, Mr Fady Khalous and Mr Mohammad Tawfiq Anjileh, who disappeared on 19 February 2012.

Alkarama has been working on their case since their arrest, on 19 February 2012, submitting it to the attention of the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances.

20 Apr 2012
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Syria: UN Commission of Inquiry presents its 2nd report to the Human Rights Council

The chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria presented its second report to the UN Human Rights Council on 12 March 2012.
13 Mar 2012
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Syria: Ongoing Use of Enforced Disappearance

Alkarama strongly condemns the ongoing repression of large parts of the Syrian population, especiallyin the context of indiscriminate attacks on residential areas. We are further deeply concerned by accounts of the rampant use of torture as well as the wide-spread occurrence of enforced disappearance carried out by the Syrian security services. Targets of these acts are political opponents and human rights defenders together with their relatives as well as civilians with no obvious links to any of the opposition groups.
05 Mar 2012
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Syria: Continued crackdown on human rights defenders and political activists despite increasing international attention

Nearly one year after the demonstrations in Syria erupted and despite increasing international attention to the gross human rights violations committed by the Syrian regime, the violent repression against opponents of the regime continues on a large scale.
21 Feb 2012
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Syria: Continued Repression Through Use of Enforced Disappearance

Alkarama strongly condemns the ongoing repression of large parts of the Syrian population. Especially the ongoing use of enforced disappearance by the security services or the Shabiha, paramilitary forces loyal to the regime and to the president's family in particular, give cause for deep concern. There are well founded reasons to fear for the disappeared's wellbeing, as released individuals give shocking testimonies of torture and ill-treatment while in the hands of the security services.

05 Jan 2012
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Syria: Disappearance of Syrian doctor last seen in irregular detention centre

Mr Omar Raad, a Syrian doctor, was arrested near his home in Al Zabadani, a city close to the Lebanese border in Syria, on 14 September 2011. That day, members of the State Security had put up a checkpoint on his street and arrested him when he passed the barrier.
23 Dec 2011
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Syria: Seriously wounded father of six remains disappeared

Mr Kamel Hamda, aged 45, and father of six children, was seriously wounded on 10 November 2011, as a result of gunshots that he received before he was arrested in a Damascus suburb on his way home from work during lunch time. He came under machine gun fire in the Sayl alley, Harasta near the Sheikh Mousa mosque. He was wounded in one leg, and lay unconscious in the middle of the street for 15 minutes.
20 Dec 2011
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Syria: Civil society calls on the UN Human Rights Council to hold a special session on Syria

On 23 August 2011, following its 17th session, the UN Human Rights Council established an international Commission of Inquiry on Syria to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law committed since March 2011. The Commission's report is due to be released by the end of November.
22 Nov 2011
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