Syrian intelligence threatens to kidnap the children of dissidents

Syrian Committee for Human Rights has received credible reports that the Syrian intelligence has recently threatened a number of activists that their children and family members will be kidnapped and taken hostage if they continue in their civilian opposition. They have also threatened to kill the activists and members of their families in order to dissuade them from continuing their work. It seems there is a full security alert.

In the 1980s Syrian intelligence services arrested thousands of relatives of opponents, and whole families were wiped out and killed. Read more

Syria clamps down on dissent with beatings and arrests

Nervous regime breaks up protests and sends intelligence agents round to warn civil rights activists against taking action

Tensions are mounting in the Syrian capital, Damascus, after the third peaceful demonstration in three weeks was violently dispersed on Wednesday. There are increasing reports of intimidation and blocking of communications by secret services in the wake of violent unrest in neighbouring Arab countries.

Fourteen people were arrested and several people beaten by uniformed and plainclothes police on Tuesday after about 200 staged a peaceful sit-in outside the Libyan embassy to show support for Libya’s protesters.

Witnesses said at least two women were among those beaten. Read more

Kurdish rights on UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day

Tens of thousands of Kurds held a huge demonstration to mark UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day in Diyarbakir. Kurds also demonstrated in other cities across the region including Hakkari and Van. Marches were held in Europe as well.

Taking the lead in yesterday’s demonstration was the organisation Tevgera Ziman û Perwerdahiya Kurdî (TZPKurdî, Kurdish Language and Education Movement in English). The head of the BDP’s (Democratic Society Party) local organisation M. Ali Ayd?n, KURDI-DER’s director Burhan Zorooglu and BDP deputy Hamit Geylani were the key speakers and addressed the placard-carrying crowd of thousands. Read more

Night raids and arrests of Kurds in Aleppo and Damascus

Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD reports that the security services have launched a campaign of night raids and arrests in the cities of Aleppo and Damascus, which has included breaking down doors, searching homes, tearing mattresses and pillows, and the use of beatings and violence during the inspection and detention. Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD has been noted that the Syrian security services have recently intensified the campaign arrests against supporters of the Democratic Union Party – PYD.

The following people were arrested in Aleppo on 13 February 2011 at 3am after raids on their homes: Read more

Kurdish poets brought for sentencing in Syria

The organisations below have jointly made a statement that on 17 February 2011 the individual military judge in Qamishli heard case 936 of 2011, in relation to three Kurds and in response to a Kurdish poetry festival in Deyrik.

Two of the defendants are poets:

• Omar Abdi Ismail
• Abdul Samad Hassan Mahmoud
• and Ahmed Fattah Ismail owned the house Read more

35 PYD supporters including students and children arrested by Syrian authorities

Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD and KCK-Rojava website report that the Syrian security authorities have intensified their campaign of raids on the homes of Kurdish people, and on their places of work. The ruling authorities are clearly and increasingly fearful following the spread of the winds of revolution spreading through the Arab world, which is resulting in the overthrow of dictatorship. The authorities are worried about the possibility of a popular revolution in Syria.

A Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD  correspondent in Aleppo has provided the names of thirty-five of those recently arrested. They know that there are more: Read more

A campaign of arrests of Kurds in Damascus

Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD,  Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria – al-Rased, Committees for the Defence of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria – CDF,  Human Rights Organization in Syria – MAF, and Media Institute of West Kurdistan Society – Damascus report that Syrian authorities are continuing the policy of intimidation of citizens through arbitrary arrests and house raids, keeping up the pressure and denying legitimate rights.

Between 10 – 11 February, the Syrian authorities in Damascus arrested four people including two women, as they were returning to their homes in the Zorava neighbourhood in the capital Damascus: Read more

Jailed Kurdish blogger on hunger strike in Syria

Sheikho, a 33-year-old literature student at the University of Damascus, was arrested June 23 on the Syria-Lebanon border. He is detained in Adra prison, just outside Damascus.

He is accused of “publishing mendacious reports liable to weaken the nation’s spirit” and is being tried at the Damascus criminal court where his next hearing is on March 7, the organisation said in a statement. Read more

Amnesty International URGENT ACTION call for Abdulrahman Omer

KURDISH FOLK SINGER AT RISK OF TORTURE

Kurdish folk singer ‘Abd al-Rahman Mohammed ‘Omar has been held incommunicado at an unknown location in Syria since his arrest on 24 January and is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. He may be being denied the regular medication that he requires.

Abd al-Rahman Mohammed ‘Omar, a popular artist and singer of Kurdish music (who performs under the name Bavê Selah, was arrested by Military Security agents at his home in Aleppo, in north-west Syria, and taken to an unknown location. It is believed he was handed over to Political Security agents one week after his arrest. He was arrested without any warrant and without any explanation given to his family, who are still unaware of his whereabouts. Read more

Released from detention after months without trial

On 9 February 2011, Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD reported that Issa Ibrahim Hesso from Qamishli had been released, with fifteen other Kurds who are supporters of the Democratic Union Party – PYD from the regions of Afrin and Aleppo. Their names are not yet available, but they have all been detained without trial for several months in the prisons of Syria.

Issa Ibrahim Hesso, born 1952, is a member of the Council of the Democratic Union Party – PYD. He was arrested on 16 October 2010 by the Qamishli State Security Branch and was then transferred to Damascus. Read more

Next Page »