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Syria: Prominent Writer Mr. Mustafa Ismail Arrested
Written by DI Campagin Team
Monday, 14 December 2009
Art work of DI member Kane Alan
The arbitrary detention of DI member Mr. Mustafa
Ismail in Syria has caused great concern among our members worldwide.
DI is promoting a joint action
against the authorities' oppression on human rights supporters and calls on the
authorities for Mr. Ismail's immediate and unconditional release.
Latest News:
On May 3, 2010, the second military
investigation judge in Aleppo issued the following accusations against Mr.
Mustafa Ismail:
* Undertaking "acts, writings, or speech unauthorized by the government that expose Syria to
the danger of belligerent acts or that disrupt Syria's ties to foreign states" under
Article 278 of the Syrian Penal Code SPC;
* Undertaking "acts, speech, writings or other means to cut off
part of Syrian land to join it to another country," under Article 267 of the SPC;
and
* Joining a "political or social organization or an
international group without the permission of the government," under Article
288 of the SPC.
Detailed DI Campaign Report:
Name:Mustafa Ismail
Sex:Male
Authorities:Syrian
Category:Fear of torture or
ill-treatment / incommunicado detention / prisoners of conscience
The Case:
According to information received on 14 December 2009,
Mr. Mustafa Ismail was arrested on December 12, 2009. Mr. Ismail
is a poet, a prominent blogger, and has contributed articles to numerous
Arabic-speaking websites.
It is
believed that his arrest was due to his writing. He is also believed to be
detained incommunicado which puts him at risk of torture and/or other forms of
ill-treatment.
DI Views & Demands:
Defend
International (DI) condemns Syrian authorities' wave of arrests and
intimidation against members of civil society, including journalists and
bloggers.
DI calls
on the Syrian authorities for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Mustafa
Ismail. DI highlights that Mr. Ismail is a prisoner of conscience, arrested
solely for the peaceful expression of his opinions in line with his fundamental
human rights to freedom of expression.
DI urges
Syrian authorities to:
Provide
immediate guarantees that Mr. Mustafa Ismail will not be subjected to torture or
otherwise ill-treated in accordance with the fact that Syria is a State party
to the United Nations Convention against Torture.
Ensure that all civil society activists in Syria would be able to conduct
their peaceful and legitimate activities without fear of arbitrary detention,
torture or ill-treatment or other human rights violations.
The
incidents of harassment, intimidation and arrests are in direct violation of
the rights to freedom of expression, as provided for in the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Syria is a party, as well as
in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General
Assembly of the United Nations on December 1998. This declaration in particular
outlines the duty of states to take all necessary measures to protect human
rights defenders from violence and arbitrary action.
DI campaign:
Please copy the following appeals, add your signature and
address and send them to arrive as soon as possible.
With thanks and appreciation
Defend International
ـــــــــــــــــ
His
Excellency President Bashar Al-Assad
President
of the Republic
Presidential
Palace
Al-Rashid Street
Damascus, SyrianArabRepublic
Fax: +963 11 332 3410
Your
Excellency,
Hereby
I wish to draw your attention to the case of Mr. Mustafa Ismail, who has
reportedly been detained on 12 December 2009 in Aleppo. His arrest has caused
great concern among writers, journalists and human rights defenders worldwide.
I am concerned
that he is being held incommunicado, putting him at risk of torure and other
kinds of ill-treatment. I urge you to provide immediate guarantees that Mr. Mustafa
Ismail will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated.
Furthermore
I would like to point out that Mr. Mustafa Ismail is a prisoner of conscience,
arrested solely for the peaceful expression of his opinions in line with his
fundamental human rights to freedom of expression. I call on you to release him
immediately and unconditionally.
It
is my hope that Your Excellency will ensure that all civil society activists in
Syria would be able to conduct their peaceful and legitimate activities without
fear of detention, torture or ill-treatment or other human rights violations.
I
wish to underline that Mr. Mustafa Ismail has the right to immediate and
unrestricted access to his family, a lawyer, and any medical treatment he may
need.
I hope
for your urgent attention to this matter.
Yours
respectfully,
-----------------------
His Excellency Major Sa'id Mohamed Samour
Minister of Interior, Ministry of Interior
Abdul Rahman Shahbandar Street
Damascus, SyrianArabRepublic
Fax: + 963 11 2223428
Your
Excellency,
Hereby
I wish to draw your attention to the case of Mr. Mustafa Ismail, who has
reportedly been detained on 12 December 2009 in Aleppo. His arrest has caused
great concern among writers, journalists and human rights defenders worldwide.
I am concerned
that he is being held incommunicado, putting him at risk of torure and other
kinds of ill-treatment. I urge you to provide immediate guarantees that Mr. Mustafa
Ismail will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated.
Furthermore
I would like to point out that Mr. Mustafa Ismail is a prisoner of conscience,
arrested solely for the peaceful expression of his opinions in line with his
fundamental human rights to freedom of expression. I call on you to release him
immediately and unconditionally.
It
is my hope that Your Excellency will ensure that all civil society activists in
Syria would be able to conduct their peaceful and legitimate activities without
fear of detention, torture or ill-treatment or other human rights violations.
I
wish to underline that Mr. Mustafa Ismail has the right to immediate and
unrestricted access to his family, a lawyer, and any medical treatment he may
need.
I hope
for your urgent attention to this matter.
Yours
respectfully,
-----------------------
His Excellency Dr. Mohsen Bilal
Ministry of Information
Al-Mezze Avenue, Baath House
Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic Fax: +963 11 661 7665
Your
Excellency,
Hereby
I wish to draw your attention to the case of Mr. Mustafa Ismail, who has
reportedly been detained on 12 December 2009 in Aleppo. His arrest has caused
great concern among writers, journalists and human rights defenders worldwide.
I am concerned
that he is being held incommunicado, putting him at risk of torure and other
kinds of ill-treatment. I urge you to provide immediate guarantees that Mr. Mustafa
Ismail will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated.
Furthermore
I would like to point out that Mr. Mustafa Ismail is a prisoner of conscience,
arrested solely for the peaceful expression of his opinions in line with his
fundamental human rights to freedom of expression. I call on you to release him
immediately and unconditionally.
It
is my hope that Your Excellency will ensure that all civil society activists in
Syria would be able to conduct their peaceful and legitimate activities without
fear of detention, torture or ill-treatment or other human rights violations.
I
wish to underline that Mr. Mustafa Ismail has the right to immediate and
unrestricted access to his family, a lawyer, and any medical treatment he may
need.
Hereby
I wish to draw your attention to the case of Mr. Mustafa Ismail, who has
reportedly been detained on 12 December 2009 in Aleppo. His arrest has caused
great concern among writers, journalists and human rights defenders worldwide.
I am concerned
that he is being held incommunicado, putting him at risk of torure and other
kinds of ill-treatment. I urge you to provide immediate guarantees that Mr. Mustafa
Ismail will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated.
Furthermore
I would like to point out that Mr. Mustafa Ismail is a prisoner of conscience,
arrested solely for the peaceful expression of his opinions in line with his
fundamental human rights to freedom of expression. I call on you to release him
immediately and unconditionally.
It
is my hope that Your Excellency will ensure that all civil society activists in
Syria would be able to conduct their peaceful and legitimate activities without
fear of detention, torture or ill-treatment or other human rights violations.
I
wish to underline that Mr. Mustafa Ismail has the right to immediate and
unrestricted access to his family, a lawyer, and any medical treatment he may
need.