To All Living Things
Last Week's Column

Amnesty Action:
Imprisoned for Defending Human Rights in Syria

by Kathy Gay

his week’s action from Amnesty International is a case from Amnesty’s current campaign, "Defending the Defenders of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." It concerns a lawyer in Syria who was sentenced in 1992 to nine years in prison because he dared to call for human rights reform in his country. He was tortured so severely that he was unable to walk into the courtroom for his trial. He has been held incommunicado in prison and his health is deteriorating. He suffers from both kidney and eye problems, and could lose his sight unless he receives medical attention outside the prison soon.

In association with the Committee for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights (CDF), this man and 16 others wrote and produced a leaflet about human rights violations in Syria. The leaflet was issued on December 10, 1991. The CDF called for reforms including abolition of the state of emergency, which has been in force since 1963, and the release of political prisoners, in line with Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which protects the rights to life, liberty and security of the person, and Article 9 which prohibits arbitrary detention. All 17 were arrested by the security forces.

Amnesty International considers this man to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of his political beliefs. The organization is urging the Syrian government to release him, as well as other activists in Syria who have been imprisoned because of their efforts to promote and defend human rights. Amnesty International believes it is the inescapable responsibility of state and inter-governmental bodies to guarantee the free exercise of the right to promote and defend human rights. As such, states are fundamentally obliged to protect and promote this right, to prevent it from being threatened, restricted or suppressed, and to protect the liberties and security of those who exercise it.

Background Information

In late 1991 the human rights situation in Syria appeared to be improving. The sudden release of more than 2,000 untried political prisoners suggested the possible beginning of a period of greater freedom of expression.

It was against this backdrop that a small group of people, including the lawyer profiled here, decided that the time had come to talk openly about politics and human rights. The leaflet they authored resulted in charges against them of "publishing false information," "receiving money from abroad" (for the CDF), and "withholding information" about their activities.

Their trial was a travesty of justice. Defense lawyers were not allowed access to the defendants before trial and were denied the time to prepare their case and produce witnesses. The prosecution evidence was based largely on the evidence of "confessions" extracted under torture. Fourteen defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 up to 10 years.

How you can help

Please send a letter to the President of Syria as soon as possible, but no later than May 1, 1998. You may use the sample letter linked below or use it as a model to write your own letter. If you choose to use the sample letter, please cut off or delete all website information at the very top of the letter. If you prefer to write your own letter, please keep in mind that its intent is to improve the human rights situation in Syria. Make sure the letter is politely worded, non-partisan (i.e., not used as a vehicle for political expression) and written with respect for the recipient. Be sure to include both your name and address, as well as the date, on your letter.

U.S. airmail postage to Syria is 60 cents.

Questions?

If you have any questions, just post a message to me (Kathy SF) in the Pub, and I will respond as soon as I can. I greatly appreciate your interest and support.

To see the sample letter for this action, please click here.

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Kathy Gay is a vegan, and has been a member of Amnesty International since 1987, where she has worked on numerous campaigns. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a business analyst for a leading California bank.

Kathy's column, To All Living Things, is a regular feature of VegSource On-Line Magazine.