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Human rights in Syria: Latest cases of bad treatment
Fear of
torture/incommunicado detention/Prisoners of conscience
and new concern: Unfair trial
Anwar al-Bunni
(m), lawyer and human rights defender
Nidal Darwish (m), human rights defender
Michel Kilo (m), writer
Khalil Hussein (m), former prisoner of conscience
Mahmoud Mer'i (m), human rights defender
Dr Safwan Tayfour (m), medical doctor
Mahmoud 'Issa (m), former prisoner of conscience
Ghaleb 'Amer (m), human rights defender
Suleyman Shummar (m)
Muhammad Mahfouz (m)
The
10 civil society activists named above are reportedly facing charges which
could see them jailed for up to 15 years. The charges appear to be
entirely without foundation, and their trial is likely to be grossly
unfair. All were reportedly beaten during interrogation. Their lawyers
went to 'Adra prison to meet with them on 28 May, but were not allowed to
see them.
The
men have reportedly been charged with “weakening nationalist feelings
and inciting racial or sectarian strife,
under article 285 of the
Penal Code.
Anwar
al-Bunni has been on hunger strike in protest since he was arrested on 17
May, and is now very weak. He has been drinking liquids since 21 May.
All
10 have met briefly with lawyers at least once. The men are protesting
that they are being held in the section of 'Adra prison reserved for
common criminals, rather than with the political prisoners. |
