November 27, 2009
NEW YORK, — Amnesty International has
expressed its concern for a Syrian political
activist, held incommunicado since 15 November and
believed to be at risk of torture or other
ill-treatment.
Yousef Dheeb al-Hmoud was arrested at his home in
the city of Deir az-Zawr, eastern Syria. His family
were unable to identify the security force that the
arresting officers belonged to.
The authorities have not revealed where Yousef Dheeb
al-Hmoud is being held, why he was arrested or
whether he will be charged. He had previously been
summoned for questioning by Syrian security forces
on several occasions, most recently by Political
Security earlier this month.
Yousef Dheeb al-Hmoud is a member of the Islamic
Democratic Current, an Islamist political group
which demands democratic reform in Syria and is
opposed to the use of violence. It is part of the
Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change
(DDDNC),www.ekurd.netan
unauthorized umbrella body comprising opposition
groups in Syria.
There are widespread reports of torture and other
ill-treatment in Syria's detention and interrogation
centres. People suspected of affiliation to
unauthorized Islamist groups are at particular risk
of arbitrary detention, torture or other
ill-treatment. Syrian security forces personnel
generally benefit from impunity for such violations.
Scores of people were arrested in August 2008,
mostly in Deir az-Zawr, but also in the cities of
Aleppo and Hama. One of those arrested, Mohammed
Amin al-Shawa, died in custody in January 2009;
according to Syrian human rights organizations, he
died as a result of being tortured.
At least nine others are still detained
incommunicado at an unknown location. According to
Syrian human rights organizations, many appear to
have been arrested because the authorities
interpreted their appearance and lifestyle as
indications of their affiliation to unauthorized
Islamist groups.
Freedom of expression and association is strictly
controlled in Syria, aided by “state of emergency”
laws which have been in force since 1964. Only the
Ba’ath Party and some parties linked to it are
officially recognized as political parties in Syria
and human rights organizations are not authorized to
operate.
Peaceful critics of the Syrian authorities, members
of human rights organizations and others suspected
of being political opponents risk arrest, harassment
and persecution.
Twelve individuals are serving two-and-a-half-year
prison sentences for their involvement in the DDDNC.
The 12 were convicted by the Damascus Criminal Court
on 29 October 2008 of “weakening national sentiment”
and “broadcasting false or exaggerated news which
could affect the morale of the country”. They were
all arrested between 9 December 2007 and 5 February
2008 and initially held incommunicado at the State
Security Branch in Damascus, where at least eight of
them were beaten.
They were punched in the face, kicked and slapped
and forced to sign false “confessions”. Amnesty
International said it considers them to be prisoners
of conscience and has called for their immediate and
unconditional release. Two of the 12, Dr Yasser al-‘Eiti
and Ahmad To’meh, belong to the Islamic Democratic
Current.
Amnesty International has called on the Syrian
authorities to ensure that Yousef Dheeb al-Hmoud
will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated.
The organization has urged the authorities to
immediately allow him visits from his family, a
lawyer of his choosing, and any appropriate medical
treatment he may require.
It has also called on the Syrian authorities to
release Yousef Dheeb al-Hmoud unless he is to be
charged with a recognizably criminal offence and
tried promptly in proceedings which meet fair trial
standards.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
Amnesty org
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