Syrian Human Rights Defender Once Again Detained

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) is deeply concerned by information that Mr. Aktham Naisse once again has been detained. His location is currently unknown as are the reasons for his dissappearance.

According to our information, Mr. Naisse was detained by Syrian military secret services yesterday afternoon, on 13 April and allegedly transferred from his home in Latikia to a military secret service station in Damascus.

Mr Naisse has recently been increasinly harassed by the Syrian authorities. Latest on 11 February he was detained and interogated by the military secret service. During the interogation Mr. Naisse was harassed and threatened not to be allowed to travel outside Syria.

Mr. Naisse is an individual member of the EMHRN and President of the Committees for the Defense of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria (CDF), a member organisation of the EMHRN.

The CDF has lately been very active in defending human rights in Syria. From among their activities can be mentioned: a manifestation in front of the Syrian Parliament to put an end to the state of emergency in Syria (8 March), an on-line petition (signed by more than 7000 persons) calling for reforms and an end of the exceptional laws, the publication of the CDF annual report for 2003, a condemnation against the Syrian security forces’ use of torture which has lead to the death of Kurdish Syrian citizens (11 April).

On 15 and 16 March, CDF members M.M. Ahmad Khazem and Hassan Watfeh were arrested.

The EMHRN finds the detention and continued harassment highly alarming in the context of Syrian authorities’ negotiations on an Association Agreement with the EU in which article 2 clearly states the Parties commitment to respect for human rights.

The EMHRN calls upon

§ the Syrian authorities to immediately release Mr. Naisse, Mr. Khazem and Mr. Watfeh.

§ the Syrian authorities to put an end to harassment, intimidation, threats, and deliberate attacks on human rights defenders, and to respect its human rights commitments according to international standards and as expressed in the Barcelona Declaration to which Syria is a part as well as the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (of 9 December 1998)

§ the European Union to demand that Syria respects international human rights and international laws, particularly now that the EU is in the process of negotiating an Association Agreement with Syria

§ the international community to express their concern about the situation for human rights defenders and human rights organisations in Syria, and to continue supporting them.


For further information please contact:
Marit Floe Joergensen, Information Officer
Tel: +45-32 69 89 12 / Fax: +45-32 95 65 54
E-mail: info@euromedrights.net