UN Committee against Torture – highlights
Members of the UN Committee against Torture met with representatives of human rights groups and organisations, on 3 and 4 May 2010 in Geneva to discuss the Syrian Government’s behaviour since signing up for the Convention against Torture in 2004. The Syrian Government sent its representatives to answer questions.
Newaf Khalil and Abdul-Baqi Assa’d attended as representatives of International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS. They listened to the evidence that was given by the Syrian Government and they had talks with UN Committee members and other human rights groups about the abuses of Kurds in Syria.
Our report can be found here: Read more
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
UN Committee Against Torture hears response of Syria 4 May 2010
The Committee against Torture this afternoon heard the response of Syria to questions raised by Committee Experts on the initial report of that country on how it is implementing the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Responding to a series of questions raised by the Committee members on Monday, 3 May, the delegation, which was led by Najm Al Ahmad, Deputy Minister of Justice of Syria, said it had been alleged that Decree No. 64 of 2008 gave immunity to security officers if they committed criminal acts during their duties, including torture. However, that decree provided no one with any immunity whatsoever and a text would be provided to the Committee. It was a military judiciary court that was seized of such acts and it only provided for immunity for specific acts carried out in the line of duty. Regarding the riot in Sednaya Prison, in that case the prisoners had taken the prison guards hostage and had threatened to kill them if the prison authorities did not meet their demands. Some of the guards had in fact been killed. The police had not used force against the rioters at the start, but only after long negotiations. An investigation had been carried out and detailed responses had been sent to the High Commissioner for Human Rights. A copy of that response would be provided to the Committee. Read more
Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies – NGO shadow report for the review of the Syrian Arab Republic under the UN convention against torture (CAT)
See the report – click here
Extract:
Introduction
Since March 8th 1963, Syria has been ruled under a state of emergency imposed by a military order upon the basis of the Law of Emergency although the procedures dictated by this law have not been followed.1 This law and in particular its articles 4 and 5 involves restrictions on a wide range of human rights which ought to be respected like freedom of individuals in assembly, residence and movement. It additionally violates the right to privacy and permits seizure of properties . Read more
YASA – NGO shadow report for the review of the Syrian Arab Republic under the UN convention against torture (CAT)
A former Kurdish prisoner in Syria described torture in the prison as follow “they were four men who tortured me. They beat me with a whip, with a woodblock, with their feet and hands. They beat me everywhere and so hard on my head, my ears and eyes, on my back, my legs and everywhere until I reached the point of not feeling any pain… then everything became dark“.
See the report – click here
All reports: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/cats44.htm
SKS report for the review of THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC Under the UN Convention against Torture [CAT]
The following report will be made available to the UN Committee on the Convention against Torture. The review will take place in Geneva on 4 May 2010 to hold Syria accountable for its actions since signing the Convention against Torture, and the committee has invited NGOs to contribute reports about Syria’s activities:
The NGO shadow report for the review of THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC Under the UN Convention against Torture [CAT], submitted by International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS [April 2010]
The report is available to download here
Summary:
1) Kurds in Syria suffer torture, inhuman and degrading treatment in detention and in their everyday lives. The military and political security authorities wilfully take advantage of the State of Emergency and martial law to make arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial, in order to oppress and suppress human rights defenders and the Kurdish population. We know that acts of severe pain and suffering are intentionally and frequently inflicted on Kurds in Syria with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. We are certain that such behaviour is encouraged by the Syrian Government.
2) We ask the UN to accept that in this secretive and highly controlled country, many Kurds are afraid to speak out. There are currently people in detention who know what is happening but risk everything if they talk, including abuse of their family members; and there are others in the diaspora who may be able to give evidence if he is assured of his safety.
3) We ask that the Syrian Government is held to account for its behaviour, for its use of the State of Emergency to act in ways that instil such fear in its people, and for its use of law and public policy to ill-treat and degrade the Kurdish community in general. Recognition of this behaviour is the first step and acknowledgement that it is abusive follows. Reparation is the start of a remedy.
18 April 2010
All reports are here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/cats44.htm
Briefing to the Committee Against Torture – Amnesty International
1. INTRODUCTION
This briefing is submitted to the Committee against Torture (hereafter the Committee) in connection with its consideration of Syria’s first periodic report on its implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereafter the Convention). It details Amnesty International’s concern about a persistent pattern of torture and other ill?treatment of political detainees while held in often prolonged incommunicado detention for interrogation by Syria’s security and intelligence agencies (notably, Military Intelligence, Political Security and State Security); unfair trials, including the acceptance by courts of “confessions” allegedly obtained under torture or other ill-treatment; beatings and other ill-treatment of inmates by prison guards; and the failure of the authorities to ensure that all allegations of torture and other serious violations of human rights are independently investigated and that those responsible for abuses are brought to justice.
This briefing which covers the period from 2004 to date, describes laws and practices in Syria which lead to or amount to human rights violations and contravene Syria’s obligations under the Convention.
Read the report here
See all reports at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/cats44.htm
KHRP – NGO SHADOW REPORT FOR THE REVIEW OF THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC UNDER THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE (CAT)
Submitted by Kurdish Human Rights Project
April 2010
Kurdish Human Rights Project
11 Guilford Street
LondonWC1N 1DH
KURDISH HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT
INTRODUCTION
1. This report is not a comprehensive analysis of torture in Syria. Rather it focuses upon cases of mistreatment of Kurdish people in Syria which undermine the submissions made in the Initial Report submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic in July 2009. Syrian Kurds are stateless peoples who continue to be targeted by the Syrian authorities and subjected to ill treatment, characteristically in the form of arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention, extrajudicial killings, disappearances, as well as torture and deaths in custody.
2. In respect of Syria’s implementation of the Convention against Torture, KHRP advances three principal submissions: (1) Syrian law must criminalise the offence of torture; (2) Syria must properly enforce legislation aimed at preventing and punishing acts of torture; and (3) Syria must properly investigate allegations of torture against Syrian Kurds and, where torture is established to have occurred, provide appropriate redress. KHRP would like to thank International Support Kurds in Syria (SKS) for its assistance in the compilation of this report.
The report is available to download here
All reports re available here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/cats44.htm
Newroz greetings from UN, USA and UK
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
“The General Assembly’s decision this year to recognize the International Day of Nowruz is evidence of a growing global awareness of the holiday’s significance not only in the regions where it is celebrated but around the world,” Ban said in his message.
During its 64th session on Feb. 23, 2010, the United Nations recognized March 21st as the International Day of Nowruz, calling on its Nowruz-celebrating member states to study the festival’s “history and traditions with a view to disseminating that knowledge among the international community and organizing annual commemoration events.” Read more
Lack of funding hampers UN efforts to support drought-stricken Syrians
Up to 60 percent of Syria’s land and over one million people are affected by drought
8 March 2010 – A huge shortfall in funding for life-saving emergency assistance to a drought-stricken region of Syria has forced the humanitarian arm of the United Nations to review its response plan for the population suffering under the three-year dry spell, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned today.
The ongoing drought in north-eastern Syria has devastated the livelihoods of more than 1 million people, driving hundreds of thousands to urban areas where they face extremely difficult living conditions, according to OCHA. Read more
