One Kurd released after 6 months detention; one Kurd sentenced to 4 years, in Syria

The individual military judge in Qamishli decided on Wednesday 5 April 2010 to release Saud Ibrahim Abdul Kadir born in 1975 in Qamishli. He had been in detention without trial for six months with Political Security in Hassaka, for the crime of “belonging to a banned political organisation” meaning the Democratic Union Party – PYD, which is forbidden under Article 288 of the Penal Code.
It was the second time that Saud had been arrested, as he was previously held in detention in the same Political Security Branch in Hassaka from 16 October 2008 until 16 April 2009.
The Supreme State Security Court in Damascus jailed Hafez Majoul Shendi, a young Kurd from Hassakah province, on 4 May 2010 for four years. He was sentenced under Article 278 of the Penal Code. He has been in detention since he was arrested on 1 June 2008 on the basis of Article 278 of the Penal Code “exposing Syria to hostile acts”.
Syrian Human Rights Commission – MAD sends congratulations to Saud Ibrahim Abdul Kadir on the occasion of his release, and condemns the fact that he has been arrested twice and held for months without trial. We condemn these arbitrary arrests that come outside the framework of law and judicial control.
Our Committee also condemns the sentencing of Hafez Majoul Shendi by the Supreme State Security Court in Damascus, which lacks constitutional legality, where judgments are based on the security of confessions extracted by violence and torture, and procedures do not guarantee the rights of the detainee.
We demand that the Syrian authorities release all political prisoners, and stop prosecuting citizens for their opinions and beliefs. We call for the abolition of martial law and the special courts, and for the country to adopt a democratic constitution that guarantees political freedom for all.

Syrian Human Rights Commission – MAD, Qamishli
6 May 2010