Articles for Syria

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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Syria: Detention of Tal Al-Mallouhi condemned by the UN

Tal Al-Mallhouhi
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, meeting for its 61st session, has concluded that the detention of two Syrian activists, Tal Al-Mallouhi and Tuhama Ma'ruf, is arbitrary in nature.
22 Nov 2011
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Syria: Enforced disappearance and risk of torture of eight Syrian nationals

Alkarama is extremely concerned about the increasing occurrence of enforced disappearance in Syria. This is a pattern that has been growing while peaceful demonstrations calling for democratic transition have spread across the country since March 2011.

Alkarama has been informed of hundreds of cases of enforced and involuntary disappearances, demonstrating the prevalence of this method of repression.

21 Oct 2011
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Syria: 40 minors from Daraya tortured or detained at high risk of torture

Alkarama is deeply concerned about the alleged violations of human rights in Syria. At present, we were informed of the cases of 40 Syrian minors who are being or were detained incommunicado by the Air Force Intelligence. They are suffering, or have suffered, torture despite being minors under international law as all were 17 or under at the time of their arrest.

17 Oct 2011
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