A Syrian Kurdish man has been held incommunicado since 19 August 2010
UA: 188/10 Index: MDE 24/023/2010 Syria Date: 26 August 2010
A Syrian Kurdish man has been held incommunicado since 19 August, after he was forcibly returned to Syria from Norway. He is in grave danger of torture.
‘Abd al-Karim Hussein was detained on arrival at Damascus International Airport on 19 August. He was apparently taken that day to Bab al-Musala prison, which is run by the Immigration and Passports Directorate in the capital, Damascus. It is believed that the next day he was taken to the al-Fayha’ branch of Political Security in Damascus. Political Security is one of several branches of the Syrian security forces, all of which regularly detain people on even the slightest suspicion of opposition to the government. The authorities have told his family where he is, but have refused to let them or his lawyer visit him.
‘Abd al-Karim Hussein had left Syria for Norway in February 2006. He applied for asylum, but his application was definitively rejected. He was arrested on 17 August 2010 and put on a plane to Damascus the following day, accompanied by two Norwegian police officers.
‘Abd al-Karim Hussein is the deputy director of the Association of Syrian Kurds in Norway, a non-governmental organization which aims to raise awareness about the situation of the Kurdish minority in Syria.
He suffers from diabetes, for which he needs regular medication, a controlled diet and medical supervision.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, English, French or your own language:
Expressing concern that ‘Abd al-Karim Hussein is detained incommunicado, putting him at risk of torture or other ill-treatment;
Calling on the authorities to guarantee that ‘Abd al-Karim Hussein will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated, and reminding them that Syria is a state party to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
Urging them to allow ‘Abd al-Karim Hussein immediate access to his family, a lawyer of his choosing and any medical assistance he may need;
Calling on them to release him without delay unless he is to be charged with a recognizably criminal offence.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 7 OCTOBER 2010 TO:
President
His Excellency Bashar al-Assad
Presidential Palace
al-Rashid Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 332 3410
Salutation: Your Excellency
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
His Excellency Major Sa’id Mohamed Samour
Ministry of Interior
‘Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 222 3428
Salutation: Your Excellency
Norwegian Minister of Justice and the Police
Knut Storberget
Ministry of Justice and the Police
P.O. Box 8005 Dep
0032 Oslo, Norway
Fax: +47 22 249533
mailto:knut.storberget@dep.no
Salutation: Dear Minister
Date: 26 August 2010
UA: 188/10 Index: MDE 24/023/2010 Syria
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives of Syria accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
Syrian Kurd detained, risks torture
Additional Information
Kurds in Syria are vulnerable to prolonged arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, particularly if they are deemed to be associated with Kurdish political parties or groups that raise concerns about the treatment of Kurds in Syria. Even family members of those perceived to be Kurdish activists may be arrested and detained incommunicado.
Asylum-seekers who are deported back to Syria risk arrest if they left the country in a manner contravening Syrian law, that is without authorization or with false papers. According to the Syrian Penal Code, anyone who has used a false identity to travel abroad may be imprisoned for up to two years.
One Kurd, Khaled Kenjo, was arrested in September 2009, 12 days after he was forcibly returned from Germany, where he had unsuccessfully sought asylum. He was charged with “broadcasting abroad false news that could harm the reputation of the state”, apparently because in Germany he had taken part in activities to promote Kurdish minority rights in Syria. On 30 December, the Qamishli Military Court ordered that he be released on bail. He has said that he was tortured in custody.
Norway’s obligations under domestic and international law, including the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, the Convention against Torture and the European Convention on Human Rights, prohibit it from returning anyone to a country where they would be at risk of persecution, torture or other ill-treatment and other serious human rights violations.
UA: 188/10 Index: MDE 24/023/2010 Issue Date: 26 August 2010
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East Mediterranean Team
Amnesty International, International Secretariat
Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW
United Kingdom
E-mail: Eastmed@amnesty.org
Tel: +44 (0)20 7413 5500
Fax: +44 (0)20 7413 5719
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Working to protect human rights worldwide
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Previous reports:
http://supportkurds.org/news/press-statement-abdulkarim-hossain-arrested-upon-arrival/
