From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 25 Jan 93 14:06 PST
Subject: Syria : Arbitrary detentions
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476701037:000:3776
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Jan 25 14:06:00 1993


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: Syria : Arbitrary detentions

/* Written 11:15 am  Jan 25, 1993 by geonet@gn.apc.org in igc:omct.sostortur */

Case SYR 210193
The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture calls upon you to
intervene on behalf of the following situation in Syria.
Brief description of the situation:
Information received from Antenna International, a member of our
network and the Committees for the Defence of Democratic Freedoms and
Human Rights in Syria (CDF), have drawn our attention to the death in
prison at the end of November 1992 of the lawyer Mr. Shakour TABBAN
who reportedly died as a result of torture and ill-treatment.
Arrested in January 1991, Mr. TABBAN, from Deir El-Zor was a leader
of the Socialist Arab Union Party.
The organisations from whom we received the information recall also
that there are reportedly some 18 lawyers currently in detention in
Syria.  The other lawyers currently being arbitrarily detained
include: Mr. Ahmad AYACH, from Idleb who was arrested in 1982; Mr.
Najib DADAM, from Alep, who was arrested in 1983; Mr. Muhammad DAQQO,
from Damascus, arrested in 1986, who is reportedly ill; Mr. Abdel
Karim HAMOUD, from Tartous, arrested 1987; Mr. Naif AL-HAMOUI, from
Basir-Dar'a, a lawyer and former Attorney General who was arrested in
1991; Mr. Philippe KHALAF, from Der'a, arrested in 1981; Mr. Abdallah
QABARA, from Lataquie who was arrested in 1987 and reportedly suffers
from eye trouble; Mr. Darwish EL-ROUMI from Hama, who was arrested in
1986; Mr. Yousef AL-SAID, from Idleb, arrested in 1982; Mr. Nash'at
TU'MA, from Deir el-Zor, arrested in 1989; Mr. Riad TURK, from Homs,
who was arrested in 1980 and is reportedly in solitary confinement
and suffering from ill-treatment; Mr. Mahmoud Khalil YOUNES, from
Masiaf, who was arrested in 1987; Mr. Muhammad ZLAYKHA, from Jabeh,
arrested 1987; Mr. Aktham NOUAISSEH, from Lataquie (see our appeal
SYR 210192), who was arrested in December 1991 and is reportedly very
ill as a result of torture; Mr. Afif MIZHER, from Jaramana, also
arrested in December 1991 (see our appeal SYR 210192); Messrs. Daoud
SHIHADEH and Walid MOUTEIRAN, both from Deir el-Zor and arrested
along with Tabour Shakour in January 1991, since their arrest there
has been no news of them.
The information also draws attention to the release in January 1992
of Mr. Ibrahim HAKIM, from Safita, who was arrested in 1980, and of
Mr. Mounir MSOUTY, from Alep who was arrested in 1987. The latter was
released at the end of 1992 and reportedly suffers from an ulcer.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in Syria to demand that they release
all the above mentioned people immediately and guarantee their
physical and psychological integrity at all times. Urge them to open
a thorough and impartial inquiry into the death in detention of Mr.
Shakour TABBAN, in order to identify those responsible and punish
them in accordance with the law. Entreat them to ensure the respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country at all times
in accordance with international standards and to put an end to the
practices of torture and arbitrary detention.
Addresses:
H.E. President Hafez al-Assad, Presidential Palace, Damascus, Syrian
Arab Republic - Tlx.: 419160 munjed sy  //  H.E. Mahmud al-Zu'bi,
Prime Minister, 'Abd al-Rahman Shahbander Street, Damascus, Syrian
Arab Republic  //  H.E. Muhammad Harba, Minister of the Interior,
Ministry of the Interior, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic  //  H.E.
Khalid al-Ansari, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Nasr
Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
Geneva, 21 January 1993
Please inform us of any action undertaken, (kindly quote the code
number of our appeal in any related correspondence).
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