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Defend International supports Syrian Kurds
29.11.2009
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DI
Calls upon the Syrian Authorities to Engage in
Dialogue with the Prisoners in Adra Prison
November
29, 2009
Defend International (DI) is alarmed by reports that
several Kurdish political prisoners have started a
hunger strike to protest prison conditions, unfair
trial practices and racial discrimination.
DI has contacted the International Committee of the
Red Cross, High Commissioner for Human Rights, the
Secretary-General of the Council of the European
Union and the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, seeking their urgent intervention in this
matter. |
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PUBLIC STATEMENT
DI Calls upon the Syrian Authorities to Engage in
Dialogue with the Prisoners in Adra Prison
OSLO, — Defend
International urges Syria to put an end to all forms
of harassment against its Kurdish minority, to
investigate these abuses, to follow where evidence
leads, and to punish those suspected of violating
international law.
Defend International is alarmed by reports that
several Kurdish political prisoners have started a
hunger strike to protest prison conditions, unfair
trial practices and racial discrimination. The
hunger strike is taking place in Adra prison,www.ekurd.netlocated
20 km north-east of Damascus. After having submitted
numerous petitions to the government, they have
since October 30 resorted to a hunger strike in a
desperate attempt to get the attention of the
government.
The Kurds in Syria have suffered from systematic
repression characterized by grave violations of
their economic, social, cultural, civil and
political rights, as well as death in custody under
torture, indefinite detention without trial,
disappearances, widespread arbitrary arrests,
torture and other cruel, inhuman treatment or
punishment.
Defend International is calling for urgent
intervention by the Syrian authorities to put and
end to all forms of harassment against its Kurdish
minority and punish those suspected of violating
international law. To date, Syrian officials have
failed to take any action to investigate these
abuses, follow where evidence leads, and hold those
responsible to account.
Many prisoners in Adra prison, which is administered
by the Syrian Interior Ministry and the Security
agency, are accused under various articles of the
Syrian Penal Code. The Kurdish activists and human
rights defenders are often convicted of "weakening
nationalist sentiment" and/or "inciting sectarian or
racial strife or provoking conflict between sects
and various members of the nation."
The prisoners are not allowed access to their
lawyers or to their families. Their demands cover a
wide spectre, but in particular they call upon the
Syrian authorities to ensure that conditions of
detention conform to international standards for the
treatment of prisoners. The prisoners are also
protesting against the unlawful trials some of them
were subjected to. Now,www.ekurd.netafter
28 days their health has deteriorated; detainees are
suffering severe migraine attacks and debilitating
weight and fluid loss. The Syrian Government has not
taken any step to engage in dialogue with the
detainees nor to pay heed to their requests.
Defend International has contacted the International
Committee of the Red Cross, High Commissioner for
Human Rights, the Secretary-General of the Council
of the European Union and the Secretary-General of
the United Nations, calling for their urgent
intervention to meet the demands of the prisoners,
to urge the Syrian authorities to immediately
provide prisoners with medical attention if needed,
and to protect them from any further torture or
ill-treatment.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
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