Trial of fifty Kurds adjourned yet again
Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD reports that fifty people who were arrested in Kobani in 2007 have been brought back to court for their trial before the first military judge in Aleppo on Tuesday, 11 January 2011. This is case 7233 of 2010. The judge adjourned the case to 17 January 2011.
The case is based on charges of inciting sectarian racism and even if proved this is covered by an amnesty that was announced affecting cases prior to 23 February 2010. Read more
Mustafa Ismail in detention now for ten months
According to Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD and the Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD, the trial of lawyer Mustafa Ismail that was before the Military Criminal Court in Aleppo has been postponed to 7 November 2010 for scrutiny, in case no. 790 of 2010. He has been in detention since 12 December 2009
See previous reports for details of the charges:
http://supportkurds.org/news/mustafa-ismail-in-court-in-syria
18 October 2010 Read more
Abdul Hafiz Abdul al-Rahman – trial continues
Human Rights Organization in Syria – MAF and Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD and Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria – al-Rased report that the defence hearing in the trial of Abdul Hafiz Abdul al-Rahman took place on 19 September 2010 before third military judge in Aleppo. He has been charged with the crime of belonging to a banned political association on the basis of Article 288 in case number 6951 of 2010.
Abdel Hafiz Abdel Rahman, is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Human Rights Organization in Syria – MAF. The trial was adjourned to 29 September 2010.
19 September 2010
Mohammed Saadoun – trial postponed again
According to Kurdish Organization for Defending Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria – DAD, the trial of Mohammed Saadoun was postponed again on 15 September. He was not produced at Court.
The trial was held again on 19 September when he was brought to court. His defence lawyer, Mustafa Osso who is Chair of the Board of Trutsees of DAD, announced that his client pleads ‘not guilty’.
The case was adjourned to 3 October 2010
19 September 2010
Concluding observations of the UN Committee against Torture SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
Committee against Torture
Forty-fourth session
26 April – 14 May 2010
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the convention
ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION
Concluding observations of the Committee against Torture
SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
1. The Committee against Torture considered the initial report of Syrian Arab Republic (CAT/C/SYR/1) at its 937th and 939th meetings (CAT/C/SR.937 and 939), held on 3 and 4 May 2010, and adopted, at its 951st meeting (CAT/C/SR.951), the following concluding observations.
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the initial report of Syria, which, while generally following the Committee’s guidelines for reporting, lacks statistical and practical information on the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and relevant domestic legislation. However, the Committee regrets that the report was submitted 5 years late which prevented the Committee from conducting an analysis of the implementation of the Convention in the State party following its ratification in 2004. Read more
Report from Kurdwatch
Al Qamishli: Former PKK militant must continue to await a verdict February 13, 2010 – On February 9, 2010, the single military judge in al Qamishli postponed the decision in the case of Mihemed Selahedîn el Moso (b. 1985) until April 12, 2010. For unknown reasons, el Moso had not been brought to the hearing from al Qamishli prison, causing the postponement.
In 2002, former PKK militant el Moso left the PKK after a two year membership and returned to Syria from Iraq. He promised several families there that for a suitable fee he would bring their sons and daughters back to Syria from the Kandil Mountains (Kurdistan Iraq), the location of the PKK military bases. It later emerged that he had deceived the families. Consequently, members of the State Security in al Hasakah arrested him on August 23, 2009. Due to his earlier membership in the PKK, el Moso was charged with membership of an illegal party pursuant to Articles 307 and 308 of the Criminal Code. Read more
Kurdish detainees – trial adjourned to 2 March 2010
Kurdish organization for the defence of human rights and public freedoms in Syria – DAD reports that the individual military judge in Qamishli held a new trial in relation to case no. 176 of 2010, on 4 February 2010 in relation to the following detainees:
• Ahmed Abdullah Taj
• Yassin Sheikhmous Mohammed
• Mohammad Sharif Mohammad
• Fuad Ahmed Mourad
• Mohamed Mustafa
This hearing was for the defence to put its case, and after a written statement was read and filed, the judge adjourned the case to 2 March 2010 so that the papers could be verified and studied. These people have been charged with the offence of belonging to a secret and illegal organisation. Read more
Trial of Waleed Hussein, a student, is adjourned until 22 February 2010.
Waleed Hussein, born 1986 near Derbasieh, a student at Damascus University appeared before the individual military judge in Qamishli on Sunday on 31 January 2010. His case is number 179 of 2010, and this trial was for the judge to hear the defence witnesses. The trial was adjourned after the judge had listened to the witnesses, until 22 February 2010.
Waleed Hussein was arrested by political security in Derbasieh, in Hasakah province on 7 April 2008 without a warrant, or court order, and with no explanation. He was released on 11 April 2008 by the military investigator judge in Aleppo. He is accused of holding the Head of State in contempt, inciting sectarian strife, and slander and defamation of public authorities. Read more
Trials process for Kurdish activists in Syria
On Sunday, 17 January 2010, the individual military judge in Qamishli, Syria gave the following decisions in the cases of Kurdish political detainees:
In case number 156 of 2010:
The judge asked the four men for their most recent statements and then delivered the following sentences in relation to:
- Khalil Ibrahim Mohammed,
- Mohammed Shekho Issa,
- Abdel-Salam Sheikhmous Mahmoud,
- Rami Sheikmous al-Hassan.
The men were arbitrarily arrested without warrants or court orders in mid-March 2009 during a vigil in memory of the victims of the Halabja massacre in 1988. They were released in late April 2009. Read more
Two Kurdish sisters face political trial in Syria
Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD reports that a Kurdish woman, Asmia Mourad Sami from Girke Lege in the Kurdish region of Syria, has been arrested. She is a married woman and mother of eight children. She was summoned to the Political Security branch Fayha, in Damascus on Wednesday 6 January 2010. She has not returned home yet and there has been no news about her.
It is worth noting that Mrs.Asmia Mourad Sami was arrested on 16 August 2009 along with her sister, Aihan Mourad Sami, by Political Security in Hassakeh province. They were released a month later by the individual military judge in Qamishli, and the case has been listed for trial on 17 January 2010. The prosecution has brought charges against them of belonging to a political organization that is prohibited, this being Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD condemns arrests and detentions on the grounds of political affiliations, as this is illegal. We condemn detentions and abuses by use of the powers under Emergency Law as these break international laws that uphold liberty. We demand the release of all political prisoners, and that these abusive practices are stopped as they are contrary to human rights as defined by international law. We demand the abolition of special courts and the ending of the State of Emergency in Syria.
Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD
Qamishli, 16 January 2010
