The Syrian authorities continue to restrict the activities of human rights lawyer and veteran human rights campaigner, Aktham Naisse. On January 16, 2005, his trial before a Supreme State Security Court in Damascus was postponed without warning. Meanwhile, he remains banned from traveling outside of Syria and his movements and communications are closely monitored by the authorities.
Aktham Naisse's trial has been postponed once again until 24 April 2005. If he is found guilty, Mr. Aktham Naisse may be sentenced to 15-years of penal servitude.
The first hearing was taking place on August 16, 2004. At 16 August session, the SSSC decided that Mr. Naisse was released on bail of 10.000 Syrian Pounds. The next session against Mr. Naisse was scheduled to be held on 24 October 2004. And then delayed to January 16th, 2005.
The EUROPEAN BAR HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE ( IDHAE) and the HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTES OF THE BAR Of BORDEAUX, BRUSSELS and PARIS welcome the decision of the Syrian Supreme State Court (SSSC) to release on bail Mr. Aktham Naisse, President of the Committees for the Defense of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria (CDF).
The nineth " Ludovic-Trarieux " Prize, created in 1984, and awarded every year jointly by the HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTES OF THE BAR Of BORDEAUX, of BRUSSELS and OF PARIS and the EUROPEAN BAR HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE ( IDHAE) , to Aktham Naisse was presented to the prize winner, in Brussels on October 8th.
On 26 July, human rights defender and prisoner of conscience from 1991 to 1998, Aktham Naisse, was tried before the SSSC on charges relating to his work in defence of human rights. He previously appeared before the SSSC on 22 April. Mr. Naisse was not allowed to meet privately with his lawyers.
Mr. Naisse has been charged with "opposing the objectives of the
revolution", "disseminating false information aiming at weakening the
State" and "affiliating with international organisations". However,
as a consequence of an amnesty granted by the Syrian President on
July 15, 2004, the court dropped the later charge, which is
punishable with up to three years imprisonment. If convicted on all
remaining counts, Mr. Naisse risks up to 15 years of forced labour.
The Court initially prevented international observers from attending
the hearing. However, after negotiations, the court allowed the
international observers sent by the Observatory, Mr. Hafez Abu Seada
(Secretary General of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights) and
Mr. Mokhtar Trifi (President of the Tunisian League for Human
Rights), as well Mr. Negad El Borei, Egyptian Attorney of Law sent by
the EMHRN to observe the trial, as Arab lawyers member of the defence
team. However, other observers from EU member States (Netherlands and
Great Britain), the European Commission's delegation to Syria, and
the United States were not allowed to enter the room.
The Supreme State
Security Court does not respect all the guarantees of a fair trial.
Particularly worrying in this regard, is that usual criminal
procedures relative to a fair trial are not applicable before this
Court (according to decree 47 passed in 1968). In addition, the SSSC
does not fall under the authority of the higher judiciary but under
the National Security Office of the Baath Party. Moreover, one
military judge is among the panel of three judges. The decisions of
the SSSC cannot be appealed.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Support the Campaign "Free Aktham Naisse !"
Aktham Naisse, a lawyer and the president of the Committees for the Defence
of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria (CDF), was arrested Tuesday April 13, 2004 in Latakia,
and has been detained by the military security services since then.
According to EMHRN
sources, Mr.
Naisse was detained in an individual cell in the criminal department of the Saidnaya prison,
well-known for the very harsh conditions of detention imposed on political
prisoners, where he is isolated in an individual cell, in the section for
ordinary criminals.
The CDF has lately
been very active in defending human rights in Syria. From among their
activities can be mentioned: a manifestation in front of the Syrian Parliament
to put an end to the state of emergency in Syria (8 March), an on-line petition
(signed by more than 7000 persons) calling for reforms and an end of the
exceptional laws, the publication of the CDF annual report for 2003, a
condemnation against the Syrian security forces’ use of torture which has lead
to the death of Kurdish Syrian citizens (11 April).
Aktham Naisse is accused of
undermining the objectives of the Revolution. He will be
trialed in the State Security Court, under Syrian emergency laws. He is accused
of “undermining the objectives of the Revolution: Arab unity, liberty and
socialism”, as well as spreading false information about Syria. He risks up to
15 years imprisonment.
According to the latest information
received from CDF, Mr. Naisse was brought before the State security Court in
Damascus on April 22, 2004 and accused of « undermining the objectives of the
Revolution: the Arab Unity, Liberty and Socialism », thus being a criminal
against the Arab Republic of Syria.
According
to EMHRN sources, the health of . Aktham Naisse has deteriorated considerably
after he had a cerebral stroke during the first week of his detention that
resulted in the paralysis of the right side of his body. His
family is still not able to forward necessary heart and kidney medication. The
EMHRN fears that Mr. Naisse’s deteriorated health might be caused by
ill-treatment in prison. M. Naisse, already diabetic and in need for a strict medical treatment
before his stroke, spent a few days in the military hospital of Tishrin, near
Damascus, before being transferred to Saidnaya prison two days ago, where he
cannot receive the necessary medical treatment.
Mr. Naisse and CDF have been very
active in defending Human Rights in Syria and have recently been increasinly
harassed by the Syrian authorities. Latest on 11 February he was detained and
interogated by the military secret service. During the interogation Mr. Naisse
was harassed and threatened not to be allowed to travel outside Syria.
Mr. Naisse
is individual member of the EMHRN, President of the CDF Syria, and took part in
its AG in Malta 5-6 December 2003. Mr. Naisse has previously been
subjected to unfair trial in and ill-treatment in Syrian prison.
Mr. Naisse
is an individual member of the EMHRN and President of the Committees for the
Defense of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria (CDF).
URGENT APPEAL
Action requested :
Please write and urge the Syrian authorities to:
1. guarantee Mr. Akhtam Naisse's
physical and psychological integrity, and grant him access to necessary medical
care while in detention;
2. immediately proceed to the
unconditional liberation of Aktham Naisse;
3. put an end to any kind of
harassment against human rights defenders and conform with the provisions of
the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly on 9 December 1998;
4. conform with the provisions of the
Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international human rights
instruments ratified by Syria.
Adresses :
- M. Bashar El Assad, Président de la République, Palais
Présidentiel, Damas;
tel/ Fax: + 963 11 33 23 410
- M. Mohammed Harba, Ministre de l'Intérieur, Ministère de
l'Intérieur, Merjeh Circle, Damas;
tél/fax: +963 11 222 34 28
- M. Nabil Khatib, Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice,
Al Nasr street, Damas,
Tél/fax: +963 11 224 62 50
Please
also contact the Syrian embassies in home countries to pressure for Mr.
Naisse’s immediate release.
Source : Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN)
And
URGENT APPEAL The Observartory
Paris –
Geneva April 15th 2004
SYR 002/ 0404/ OBS 026
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