On Sunday 19/11/2006, the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) in Damascus sentenced the Human Rights Activist and engineer Nizar Rastanawi (46 years) to four years in prison. The unconstitutional court accused him of spreading false news, degrading and abusing the President of the Republic.

Nizar Rastanawi "disappeared" while he was returning to his home in the village of Mowrek in the province of Hama on the 18/4/2005. The Syrian Authorities initially denied that they had detained him, however, when his car was seen at one of the Security branches they were forced to reveal on 2/5/2005 that he had been detained with them.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) also has access to documented information about the humiliating and inhuman way in which Nizar was treated during his period of interrogation and during his proceeding of his trial, which lasted for a year and four months (beginning from July 2005).

SHRC, which condemns all arbitrary arrests, views this sentence as unjust and unlawful as it is based on false accusations issued by an exceptional court. SHRC requests the immediate release of the abovementioned citizen and to drop all accusations charged against him. SHRC also calls upon the Syrian Authorities to stop detaining citizens who defend human rights in Syria and expressing their views and opinions about the national current affairs.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
19/11/2006