The Syrian Authorities’ Gift at the Final Day of 2007:
Torture leading to death & unfair sentences

With reference to the report issued by (SHRC) on the 31/10/2007 about the wave of arrests in Idlib, it has been informed that the detainee Ahmed Abdul- Ghafoor Abdul-Baqi (24 years) has died due to the brutal torture he was subjected to. The Syrian Intelligence Service first attempted hiding the news. Thereafter they spread rumours in the area of Muhambal that he was killed in Iraq, despite the explicit truth that they had detained him and tens of other youths (of which SHRC has named 12 in its report) five months ago.

On the other hand, the first Criminal Court in Damascus has unjustly sentenced Mr. Fa’iq Ali As’ad (al-Meer) to prison for three years, later reducing it to a year and a half with confinement and stripping of civil rights. Fa’iq al-Meer, is a member of the Central Committee of the Democratic People Party. He was arrested last December (2006) due to offering his condolences at the assassination of George Haawi and Pierre Jimayyel in Lebanon. The Syrian Authorities viewed this as a crime for punishment.

SHRC unequivocally condemns the death of the youth Ahmed Abdul-Ghafoor Abdul-Baqi, which resulted from the horrendous torture he suffered, as well as the sentence passed upon Mr. Fa’iq Ali As’ad al-Meer. SHRC hold the Syrian authorities ethically and legally responsible for the death of  Mr. Abdul-Baqi and calls upon them to stop their widespread practice of torture that leads to death and their practice of arbitrary arrest. SHRC also calls for the immediate release of Mr. Fa’iq al-Meer, in addition to all other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, viewing these tragic events and unjust sentences as the gifts of the Syrian Authorities to the Syrian people in the final day of year 2007.
The Syrian Human Rights Committee
31/12/2007