YASA report July 2009
YASA monthly report – July 2009 PDF
• The community of Kamechli accepts no other language than Arabic
The community of Kamechli, part of the province of Hasaka in Northeast Syria, has declared
Arabic, under the management of a committee, the only official and colloquial language and the
Lingua Franca. Now, the Kurds are forced to either use Arabic names when opening a store or
change names of already established shops. In case of ignoring the resolution, Kurds will have to
face penalty.
Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians and Syrians live in the province of Hasaka each having their
own language.
• Disappeared Kurd from the City of Hasaka returns to his family
Isa Schechi, who had disappeared returned to his family on July, first 2009. After his
disappearance for several weeks, it became clear that he had been arrested by security forces
without any reason. The incidence happened when he made a business trip from Hasaka to
Kamechli. He carried 500.000 Syrian liras when he was arrested.
• Amjad Abdul Rahman Othman disappeared since May
The Kurdish Journalist Amjad Abdul Rahman Othman born in Kamechli in Northeast Syria in
1982 (Mother Hind), has disappeared since May17th,, 2009. His family reported that he was in
Hasaka to complete formalities in the migration and passport department of an authority. His
family has no information about his whereabouts. Amjad Othman is the sole earner and responsible
for his family of 6 members. Amjad has published the Hoger magazine.
• Soldier with Kurdish background shot during military service
Mohmmad Omar Kheder, born August 20th, 1988 in Hasaka, name of the mother is Hamdiah, was
shot during military service in the City of Homs in Syria. He died on July 8th, 2009 at 15:00
O’Clock. Mohammed was shot to death with 6 bullets from his own service weapon.
Background:
24 Kurdish Soldiers have been killed during their military service time in Syria since March 12th,
2004. The parents were unclearly informed about the death of their sons. Nevertheless, parents had
to confirm the vague information and unclear statements they had received in order to get the dead
bodies.
• Wittness arrested for carrying pictures of Kurdish leaders Barzani and Talabani
The Kurd Rodi Mahmud Shecho from Kamechli in Northeast Syria had planned to testify for his
sister in a court. Shecho’s sister, at that time accompanied by some relatives, had a car accident.
Shech’s took a taxi to the court. After he had arrived, he and the taxi driver were stopped and
checked. The Police officer found pictures of the Kurdish leaders Jalal Talabani and Massoud
Barzani in Shecho’s pockets. The police officer immediately reported the incident to the security
forces in Kamechli and arrested Shecho.
• Political security forces arrest Kurd from Kamechli
Political security forces searched the house of Samir Izzedin in Kamechli, on Thursday, June 9th,
2009 at 15:30 o’clock. Izzedin was deported to an unknown location. His fate is unknown. He is
considered beeing disappeaerd.
• Three Kurds from Kamechli arrested
Security forces of the Syrian Republic have arrested Kurds for unknown reasons. Even the family
members were not informed about the reasons for the arrestment. They are isolated and nothing is
known about their fates.
The disappeared persons are:
1. Muhammed Said Sabri (35 years old)
2. Fahad Ahmad Abas (28 years old)
3. Amir Faruq Salih (28 years old)
• Ahmed Hassan disappeared for 3 months
Fauas Ahmed was arrested for carrying flyers in Kurdish language at the central station in
Damascus on May 8th, 2009.
Fauas Ahmed is a citizen of Hasaka. He does not hold the Syrian citizenship due to the special
population census in 1962.
Because he could not find a job in Hasaka he was forced to move to Damascus in order to have
better future opportunities. He wanted back to Hasaka, when he couldn’t find a job.
• Suleiman Jamil Jafar released from prison
Suleiman Jamil Jafar, a former candidate of the Syrian Parliament was released from prison after
serving a sentence on July 15th, 2009. It is known that Suleiman Jamil Jafar is a member of the
Kurdish Yezide minority. He was arrested by political security forces during the Kurdish New
Year celebrations on April 15th, 2009. After his arrestment, he was carried to a military court in
Aleppo. He was accused to be part of forbidden political activities according to § 288; based on
that he was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.
• Unregistered Kurdish woman prevented from travelling to Damascus
Midya Subhi Abdullah, mother of Iqlima born 1978 married was checked by security forces on her
journey on July, 19th, 2009. The forces noticed that she was not registered. The reason is the
denationalization happened in Syria.
M.S. Abdullah was on her way to Damascus in order to receive medical treatment and to search for
jobs together with her family. During the last weeks thousands from Hasaka have been moving to
metropolitan areas in order to search for a job due to the harsh drought the region is suffering.
Unregistered Kurds are even more disadvantaged than regular “stateless” Kurds, who were
denationalized in 1962. The Kurds are waiting for the promised solution of their situation for 47
years.
Unregistered Kurds are banned from travelling, staying at hotels or working for the civil service.
Furthermore they are not allowed to hold passports or buy property. Even graduated students don’t
receive a certificate. Basic human rights are withheld.
In addition to that, revoking the certificate of their unregistered status is being discussed in Syria
currently.
• Rodi Mahmud Schecho released from prison
Rosi Mahmud Schecho from Kamechli was released from prison on July 20th, 2009. He was
arrested by political security forces for having pictures of Kurdish leaders in his pockets on July
4th, 2009.
• Kurdish human rights activist was arrested and deported to Damascus by military
security forces
The Kurdish lawyer Masud Kaso from the City of Dirbasiya Northeast Syria was checked for the
second time by security forces in the City of Kamechli. He was deported from Dirbasiya to the
head quarter of the Syrian security forces. Currently, many Kurdish politicians, authors, lawyers
and human rights activists are threatened to force them stop their activities.
• Kurd sentenced to 10 years imprisonment
The state court in Damaskus has sentenced the Kurdish Izzet Ibrahim Seydo to 10 years
imprisonment. It was claimed that Seydo had carried weapons and wanted to establish a Kurdish-
Arab society party.
• Kurdish student arrested for pictures on his mobile phone
A Kurdish student from the University Latakia disappeared on July 29th, 2009. After researching
for him, his family found out that he had been arrested for having pictures of Kurdish personalities
and symbols on his mobile phone. It is reported that many Kurds had been arrested by security
forces for similar incidents.
• Discharged Kurds banned from returning to their hometowns
Salah Mohammad Hussain und his Sister Süreyya Mohammad Hussain were released from prison
on July, 27th. They had served a one year sentence. Khalil Yousef Othman, Jamil Mahmud Hiso
and Jalal Izzedin are still in Jail. After their discharge they are banned from returning to their
hometowns for one year.
This judgment was enforced by the court in Hasaka in May 28th, 2009. No right exists for
appealing on this judgment. The judgment is irrevocable and therefore valid.
Süreyya Mohmmad Hüssain is extremely suffering from this judgment due to her bad health
condition, which was not medicated during her stay in jail.
• Schams Al Din Hamo arrested
Schams al Din Hamo, member of the political committee of the Kurdish unit in Syria, Yekiti was
arrested by political security forces in Aleppo on July 29th, 2009 at 10:00 O’Clock. His fate is
unknown.
- Violence against women – Reasons, forms and consequences Kurdish women as an example
Dr. Midia Abdul Majid Mahmoud PDF
- Report about the stateless and not-registered Kurds in Syria
Committees for the defence of democracy freedoms and human rights in Syria PDF
- The past and the present of book publishing in Kurdish language in Syria
Next Page Foundation – conducted by M. Malmisanij PDF
- Syria: Kurds, Honour-killings and Illegal Departure
Report from a fact finding mission to Damascus – Danish Immigration Service. PDF
- The Situation of stateless Kurds in Syria
Written by Eva Savelsberg and Siamend Hajo (German PDF)
- The Syria – Turkey Boundary
Office of the Geographer – Bureau of Intelligence and Research in English PDF and in Arabic
PDF
- YASA Statement about the situation and requirements of the Kurds in Syria at the twelvth
session of the Working Group on Minorities in Geneva from 8 to 11 August 2006. PDF
- The reply of the representative of the Syrian gevernment at the twelvth
session of the Working Group on Minorities in Geneva from 8 to 11 August 2006. PDF
- The Kurds of Syria – An existence denied
Harriet Montgomery. PDF
- The Kurdish Reawakening in Syria
Gary C. Gambill, editor of Mideast Monitor. PDF
- Kurds in the Syrian Arab Republic one year after the March 2004 events.
Amnesty International. PDF
- Communication against Syria.
Submitted by Jian Badrakhan to the UN 2005. PDF
- Buried Alive: Stateless Kurds in Syria
Maureen Lynch and Perveen Ali, Refugees International. PDF
- The Syrian Kurds: A People Discovered
Robert Lowe, Chatham House. PDF
- Report of the Working Group on Minorities on its eleventh session
(Geneva, 30 May to 3 June 2005) PDF
- Statement about the situation and requirements of the Kurds in Syria in the eleventh
session of the Working Group on Minorities in Geneva from 30 May to 3 June 2005.
(Aref Gabeau in Arabic) PDF
- Statement about the situation and requirements of the Kurds in Syria in the eleventh
session of the Working Group on Minorities in Geneva from 30 May to 3 June 2005.
(Jian Badrakhan in English) PDF
- Communication against Syria submitted by Jian Badrakhan to the UN. PDF
- The silenced Kurds – Human Rights Watch PDF
